The Three of Me
by squeekness
Summary: A shattered Kimble tries to adjust to his new home. Part 14 of my Kimble series.
1. Chapter 1

Summary : A shattered Kimble tries to adjust to his new home. Part 14 of my Kimble series.

Notes : Rated M for language, violence, and sexual situations.

AU but only because I chose to change a few things in my dear friends' histories for simplification, nothing drastic so please forgive. I've been working on this story for years so I do ask that you don't use any of my non-Marvel universe characters without my permission. I love my Siskans as I do my children.

Just a quick not -- sorry, pinklittlewitch, I was unaware that my anonymous review button was clicked to off. I have corrected that so if you or anyone else wishes to review without logging in you may do so or if you don't have an account, you can still have a say. Thanks for all of you who have chimed in.

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(One)

Kimble woke to his first day as an official member of the Freedom Kings to find himself in a bit of a scramble. He had been told to report to classes and he just wasn't used to the idea of a schedule. He was late getting up and had to rush. Gail got him moving, teasing him at every step, and escorted him down to the classroom. He laughed, playful now with her, and making her smile. He was disappointed when she told him she wasn't joining him, this was a beginner's class. She saw his frown and promised to come get him after, happy to see he wanted to spend time with her. In spite of her seniority, she didn't have many friends. They would have lunch and talk some more.

Kimble nervously entered the classroom and found a seat. He was late in spite of rushing to get here and shuffled to the back of the room with his head low. He was uncomfortable because he didn't know anyone here. He was the only one without a uniform either, all the members of the Freedom Kings were supposed to dress the same here. It was designed to promote uniformity and do away with distinctions of class or ranking. Only the team leaders had distinguishing marks such as an arm band with a large golden crown stitched onto it.

The teacher waited until Kimble had found his seat and then introduced him to the class. Kimble smiled at the others shyly and they laughed at him, trying to put him at ease. He felt better in the beginning and not so awkward, but it wasn't long before he found his attention span waning and he began to daydream a little.

This was called a history class, but it soon became clear to Kimble that this was more political than factual. Almost immediately, the students were given stories of how the normal humans hated them and wanted them gone. Attacks were documented and examples of murders and horrific crimes were displayed. Graphic pictures of the Holocaust were shown as an example of that horror made as proof of a mutant's need to be on the alert. It made Kimble queasy and uncomfortable so all those pictures. First of all, he wasn't a mutant and none of this sort of thing had ever been directed at him. He didn't think it applied to him and so couldn't take it that seriously.

He found himself drifting off. He thought of his brief encounter at the Club in the Purple Room and shivered from a surge of renewed arousal. He smiled and fantasized about a nice warm pleasure room filled with eager clients. His mind embraced the dream eagerly and he was somewhere else.

_You gots to pay attention! _Zander complained to him. _Sooner or later theys gonna gits around ta sayin' sumpthin' useful!_

_I doubt that, _Kimble countered, speaking inside of himself.

_I don' likes the pictures. They're scary, _Lakotashay whined.

Kimble blocked out the lesson, wanting to hear no more terrible stories of murder and death.. His eyes drooped and he dozed lightly, dreaming once more of clients. He couldn't wait to get back to the Club and feel them writhing around him in ecstacy. He never noticed as the teacher stopped speaking and walked over to him. He startled as he was roughly grabbed.

"Inattention!" the teacher snapped. "That is how the norms control us! They make us think it's safe and then BAM! Out come the guns and fences! We must be ready for them!"

Kimble startled loudly and then cowered in shame as he realized he'd just been made an example of in front of the whole class. They were all looking at him in amusement and he was humiliated as the teacher glared at him and walked away.

"The danger is all around us. This is why we must train. This is why we must always be ready. They will never take us without a fight!"

Kimble was quiet and tried to pay attention as the class continued but it was just the same old bullshit over and over. He learned his lesson and tried to stay awake or at least make it look like he was interested. When the class was over, he couldn't get out fast enough. He tried to ignore the dirty look the teacher gave him on the way out. Out in the hall, Kimble took a deep breath and felt nothing but relief. He took out the paper Gail had given him that had his schedule on it. His next class was in the gym and was a class for telekinetics given by Kyle. At least this one should be interesting.

He made his way to the gym easily enough and found his class. Again he was late and had to sit in the back. Kyle gave him the same look as the last teacher had and Kimble kept his eyes down. Clearly being on time was a must around here and he would have to learn to deal with it. Kimble had been offered the school at Xavier's, he could only guess it would have been the same for him then, so he made a promise to himself to try harder.

This class was small, it had only ten students, and Kyle was teaching them about how to make telekinetic shields. He explained about all the different kinds and how they should be used. Kimble was fascinated as Kyle displayed his power. Kyle showed how the thickness of shields could be toyed with depending on their use and even displayed how a paper thin shield could be used as a protective barrier against injury from being scraped or cut from abrasive materials. It would be light and not cumbersome yet quite strong if the wielder had the strength to form it properly. This would only come over time and repeated practice. To prove his point, they were all invited to try and do this so they would understand just how difficult this was to do.

_Now this is more like it! _Zander crowed, happy now. He was overjoyed to finally be doing some real work for a change. Kimble relaxed and zoned out a little, letting Zander take over without really thinking about it. Kimble was only dimly aware of what he was doing, it just happened. One minute he was out on the floor, the next, he felt a kind of strange duality as Zander controlled his hands and guided his power with relative skill considering it was new to them both. It should have frightened Kimble, this sense of losing control, but instead it was very comfortable. It felt right. Zander was interested in this and Kimble just let his spirit flow.

Kyle came over, impressed with what Zander had done, Zander learned as quickly as Kimble did and was making rapid progress just from observing Kyle and the others here. Kyle nodded with approval and praised, "Very nice. You've done this before?"

"Not really. We jus' takes on real fast," Zander answered out loud, startling Kyle with his gruff, gravely voice. Now that Kimble had let go a little, Zander had been emboldened to push his position and was rewarded with a moment of complete control. He was pleased to see that he now had more freedom than he had before Kimble had been melted. It seemed as though Kimble wasn't the only one effected by the changes the plasma overload had wrought, and Zander wondered now just how much control he could take. He was patient and learned fast so he was determined to find out his limits. Maybe Kimble wanted to wuss out on learning his powers, but Zander wouldn't be satisfied until he consumed everything Kyle had to teach him.

Kyle paused, taken off guard by what just happened. He'd had a long talk with Cameron last night and wasn't happy about what he'd been told. Somehow Joshua knew all about Kimble's fractured psyche and he and Cameron were all over it. They told him not to be afraid if Kimble spoke in voices. He was to just stand by and train Kimble, just accept this without question. When he protested, he was told he would understand the longer he spent time with his new charge. It was like a game or something. Kyle was not amused. His complaints were ignored.

"Kimble?" Kyle asked now, nervous. He wasn't quite sure who he was talking to and it was very unnerving.

"What?" the Lover responded, a little dreamy. It was like he had just woken up. He didn't realize Zander had just stolen a moment from him. Zander's possession left him a little out of sorts, Kimble thought Zander had spoken from inside and that only he had heard it.

"You okay?"

Kimble created a small shield and broke it into pieces, showing off a little. "Shure."

Kyle crouched down next to him, blocking Kimble's trick from view, and used his power to meld the shards back into place. He was startled to see the spikes, he hadn't seen Kimble do this during the fight outside the bar. Funny, that would have been his first form of defense. Apparently it wasn't Kimble's or perhaps it was just a sign of Kimble's lack of training. Either way, Kyle was still impressed. This was a skill only the elite of the telekinetics possessed, it had taken him years to learn it himself. "Don't show this to the others," he whispered. "They can't do this. They'll be jealous."

"How else we gonna learn?" Zander asked.

This time Kimble was a little puzzled himself at Zander's voice. He didn't know where it had come from. It must have come from inside, not out of his own mouth. Yes, that's what it was. "How else am I gonna learn?" he repeated, believing now he must have imagined Zander's voice.

Kyle wasn't so easily fooled. He didn't like it, but he answered. "I'll set up something private for you and me."

The Lover smiled up at him with his dreamy, wistful eyes, happy for the offer of company. "Kin ya teach me ta fly? I liked it when we wuz up in the sky. It wuz fun, you an' me."

Kyle smiled awkwardly. The way Kimble had spoken, it was as if he'd been invited to have sex. He tried to ignore it, dismissing it as a sign he was tired or something. "Yes, I'll teach you to fly. But you have to pay attention and do as you are told. You could be injured."

"All right. When we gonna practice?"

"I don't know. I'll get back to you after lunch. Until then, I want you just to work on those things I give the class. Nothing else, okay?"

"All right."

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Kimble had lunch with Gail and enjoyed her company once more. He noticed how no one else sat with them and sometimes the others would whisper mean things about ugly Gail behind her back. They thought she was hideous looking and unfeminine. The Freedom Kings were a tight bunch, but since their focus was not on equality between races, they did not receive the same amount of compassion training as the X-men did. She pretended not to notice, but he could see from her shine she was angry and it made him sad. He promised himself he would spend as much time with her as he could, he didn't want her to think no one cared.

Leon came by as they were eating and tossed Kimble a tiny ball of plasma. He was in a rush and didn't have time to stay and talk. It was a small dose, just enough for Kimble to get buzzed, but not to pass out. Kimble had learned quickly that the plasma had its advantages. It made him high which he was growing to like, but it also lasted longer than the Ristle had. He didn't need to charge as often.

While Kimble and Gail finished their lunch, a group of kids passed them by, walking slowly by and staring at Kimble. They were talking about him softly and at first Kimble was flattered, but then he heard one of them say ShaRain with reverence and smile at him. It creeped him out, he liked attention as much any Siskan, but not like that. He had no wish to be worshiped unless it was inside a pleasure room.

After lunch, Kimble went to another class. This one was given by Michael. Michael was tall and sturdy, a jock with an affinity for guns and blowing things up. His mutant ability was not only a natural invulnerability, but also the power to phase through solid objects. Unlike Kimble, he could also phase whatever he carried with him, giving him the advantage of stealth. This class was not about phasing, it was about the use of guns. Michael stood proudly in front of a rack of guns any NRA guy would drool over, explaining what each one was and what it was best used for. The students were taught how to assemble and clean the weapons and their care. All types of guns were discussed, including rocket launchers and Tasers.

Again Kimble was turned off by all the talk of violence. These weapons had only one purpose – deadly mayhem -- and he wanted no part of it. He had no need for guns. Zander was curious, but he wasn't really into it. He was more concerned about their own power and weapons, not these. Kimble drifted off again in his seat, not paying attention and was happy that it ended quickly.

After the weapons class, Kimble was supposed to go to yet another training session, but instead he snuck off. He didn't want to listen to any more stupid crap about hate and fear. He found a quiet alcove with an open window and sat there, just breathing in the smells of the outside world. It wasn't as nice as the fresh Mansion air, it was city air and he found himself missing Remy. He hadn't been given a chance to call home as promised. This was a big place but there weren't any phones anywhere. Never having been away from the Mansion before like this, he didn't realize just how significant that was. He was essentially trapped and cut off from the outside world.

Eventually, Gail came and found him. She stood behind him, her hands on her hips and smiling at him impatiently. "What are you doing over here by yourself? We were all worried about you." Her face was irritated, but her eyes merry. It just wasn't possible for her to be angry with him and he knew it.

He smiled up at her, happy he now had some company. "Don' like yer classes much. Alls they talks about is hatin' an' people dyin'. It makes me sad an' I jus' don' wants ta hear about it no more."

Gail came closer and sat down in front of him at the window. "What they say is true though. The norms do hate us."

"Fallen says that not alla them feels that way. The Professor says we kin all helps each other."

"No one was helping me," she replied. "When my parents saw what I was, they kicked me out of the house. I had nowhere to go. I had to scrounge for food on the street. No one would help me, people chased me down and beat me up if I wasn't fast enough to get away. Kyle found me and brought me here. He taught me how to fight and protect myself. This is the only place where I can walk around being me. Out there I have to hide."

"Cain't ya make yerself look different? The Professor had a machine that kin hide what ya look like," Kimble said, thinking of the image inducers he'd seen in Henry's lab.

"I don't want to look different. This is how and who I am. Why should I hide?"

"Sorry," Kimble apologized when he heard the sharpness of her voice. "I likes ya jus' fine, baby doll. I didn' mean nuthin' by that."

He felt sorry that he might have hurt her feelings so he tried to touch her face, but she blocked him with a raised hand. "You can't touch me. My scales will hurt you."

"I don' care," he protested, meaning it. All he wanted was for her to feel better.

"I do. Why don't you come have some supper with me. We'll go back to our room after and watch some TV. Just relax, okay?"

"All right."

She took his hand and led him away to the cafeteria. She made him eat a little, showing him the best things to try. He was warmed by her friendship and desire to be near him and he was soon laughing and his old self again. They joked around at the table and made a mess with a little food fight, having a grand time. She taught him fun things like blowing bubbles in your milk carton with a straw and other essentials like mashed potatoe sculptures. He was soon dizzy from laughing so hard and she was pleased. He was no longer sad or lost here.

She cleaned up after them and brought him back to their room where she gave him a quick education on the wonders of television. He'd seen none of this at the Mansion, most of the folks there were simply too busy to watch for pleasure. Gail turned on some cartoons and he was enraptured by what he saw, squealing with laughter and soon forgot his troubles.

Gail just sat back with a smile, their roles reversed with her happy now she'd made him feel better. The more time she spent with Kimble, the better he made her feel as well. She was growing quite fond of her roommate and hoped he stayed with her.


	2. Chapter 2

(Two)

A short while later, Kyle came to Kimble's room. He brought some new uniforms for Kimble to wear, much to the pilot's relief. Kimble wasn't the only one to join the Freedom Kings who'd had crooked cat's legs and some decent pants were found. Kyle wanted to speak with him privately and so dragged him off to talk. Gail promised to wait for him so they could talk some more when he returned.

Kyle took Kimble to his private quarters. His room was small and hardly lived in since he spent most of his time in his aeries, not here. He sat the reluctant pilot down and asked, "Where did you go this afternoon? I was worried about you."

Kimble wouldn't meet his eyes. "I didn't like yer classes. I don' like the pictures of alla the dead people, they make me feels sick. An' why you gots ta teach me about guns and stuff? I don' wants ta hurts nobody."

Kyle was nervous about Kimble's response. He just didn't see how Cameron could be so sure that Kimble would make a good weapon, not with an attitude like this. "This isn't about hurting anyone, this is self preservation. We have to be ready."

"Them norms ain't gonna come marchin' in here," Kimble protested with all the innocence of a child. He had limited experience out in the world and his mind which always tried to look for the best in people, just couldn't picture this.

"That's very naive. The Friends of Humanity are calling for control camps and extermination of all mutants. That can't be allowed to happen."

"It's got nuthin' ta do with me."

"That's denial talking. I know you don't regard yourself as a mutant, but the fact is, if you went out on those streets right now, that's all people will see when they look at you. They won't bother to see the good and kind Kimble I've come to know. They'll call you a freak and try and hurt you. They'll drag you off to some camp and stick a number on your forehead. I don't know if they can kill you or not since you're not organically alive, but it won't matter. They'll just use you to haul the bodies of the dead ones away..." Kyle was forced to pause when Kimble suddenly turned away in horror and gripped his stomach. The pictures he had seen that morning were still too fresh in Kimble's mind.

"It won' happin...it cain't. Folks jus' ain't that bad!" Kimble complained, trying to hold onto this idea of people being inherently good. It was true most of the ones he'd met were not bad, especially the ones that had nothing to do with the Clan.

"Sure they are. Those pictures you saw this morning were the real deal, Kim. The Nazis came in and saw a bunch of people they didn't like and wiped them out. These were normal looking people, not freaks like us. They just felt a little differently about God and that was enough for their destruction."

Kimble rubbed his aching stomach, he didn't want to talk about this anymore. He shook his head and asked, "What's all this stuff about me bein' some kind of Guardian? I heard some of the kids talkin' about it behind my back. They looks at me funny."

"The ShaRain is a special Guardian with powers who will come and help protect us. Joshua has visions and he claims he knows what the ShaRain looks like and what he can do to help us. Based on what he said, Cameron thinks it's you. He told some of the other students here so they could help you settle in more easily."

Kimble snorted. "That ain't me. I ain't no protector. I'm just a guy waitin' on some angel, that's all. I wuz made ta make people happy. Make 'em feel good an' shiver all over, not learn how ta make guns an' shit. I don' wanna hurt nobody."

"No one's asking you to hurt anyone. This is about protecting us. In order to know how to protect, you have to know how the enemy thinks. You might lose your powers someday. You have to know how to fight on your own."

"But I ain't gots no enemies!" Kimble continued to protest.

Kyle was experienced enough to twist Kimble's protest into something he could use. He had seen quickly that while Kimble might not know how to fight, he knew a thing or two about loyalty. Of course he did, he was the Lover. "You're part of a team now, Kim. We work together. If someone came in here right now, wouldn't you want to help us?"

"I guess so," Kimble replied, softer now. Kyle's ploy had worked, he had used language the Lover could understand. Kimble might not like to fight, but he could when those he loved were threatened.

"That is why you have to train."

Kimble nodded at that, seeing Kyle's point and conceding. "What about flyin'?"

"I'll work with you tomorrow. I can see the classes might have been too much for you. After lunch, you and I will have a session. If I do that, do you promise to try harder?"

"All right." Kimble paced restlessly. His bellyache had subsided, but not his worry. The Lover was still loyal to those he loved and he asked, "Kin I use a phone now? I wants ta call home. Maybe if ya gots one of them books with the numbers in it, I kin finds it." He had seen Henry use a phone book back at the Mansion.

"You seem especially anxious. Is there someone in particular you want to talk to?" Kyle asked, stalling. He was still under orders not to let Kimble call out, the last thing Cameron wanted was the X-men barreling in here and stealing his precious find away.

"I wants ta talk ta Remy."

"Tell me about him."

Kimble smiled with affection as he thought about his good friend. "He's a thief. They calls him Gambit."

Kyle's eyes opened wide. "Gambit is your friend? That's a joke if I ever heard one."

"What do ya mean?"

"He's nothing but a cold hearted killer."

Kyle did not know Gambit personally, very few people did. Remy had come to the X-men well after Kyle left. Gambit's exploits were the stuff of legend now, boogy man stories passed around from mutant to mutant by those who knew nothing about him. His reputation simply preceded him and he was regarded as a pariah or monster because of the slaughter. It didn't matter that he hadn't killed a single Morlock, bringing the killers themselves down there was just as bad.

"He ain't no killer! Kimble protested vigorously. "He's good an' kind' an' wuz the only one nice ta me there."

"He's a killer, son. Didn't anyone tell you what he did?"

Kimble grew angry and felt a restless stirring inside of him. Zander had been aroused by his wrath and was milling about, jerking on his chains. Kimble fisted his hands. "That wuz an' accident! He didn' know what wuz gonna happen!"

Kyle wasn't fazed by Kimble's outburst. This was something he could use to distract Kimble from trying to use the phone. "He brought Sabretooth down there into the tunnels. Now, there's only one thing that guy does. He kills. There is no way your little buddy there didn't know what was going to happen."

"He wuz just a kid!" Kimble growled, his voice going deeper as he refused to back down.

Kyle just smiled at him, not quite afraid of the Punisher just yet. "Did he ever tell you why he did it? What Sinister gave him to make him go?"

Kimble paused. "No. He jus' said it wuzn't fer money."

"Really? Than what was it, hmm? What could a freak like Sinister possibly have to offer him that he would want besides money? The guy was a sicko doctor, a geneticist."

Kimble shrugged. "I dunno...but Remy ain't about money. He don' run around with nice stuff. He gots the smallest room in the place an' there ain't hardly nuthin' in it."

"I'll just bet he's got other places besides there. I do."

Kimble couldn't argue with Kyle's well said point. Gambit had taken him to an apartment he suspected no one else knew about. Maybe he had other things hidden away, too. Kimble turned away, not wanting to talk about this anymore. "That still don' make him not my friend."

"Maybe. But what kind of friends lie to each other?"

Kimble was silent. He felt sick and just wanted to go away and do something else, just the way Kyle wanted to make him feel. He turned away and walked to the door, trying to run from this unpleasant conversation, but Kyle stopped him with a gentle hand. "Wait, Kim. Don't walk away mad. I didn't mean to upset you. Let's go down to the bar and have a drink? Gail will wait up for you."

Kimble nodded, still not happy, but happy enough to have a drink. He didn't like the idea that Remy might have lied to him and used him, his heart simply could not agree with what Kyle had told him and he was sullen and angry. He was silent as they walked down to the bar and he sat on his stool, brooding.

The music was loud and Kyle was distracted by some of the dancers. There were always pretty girls here and he couldn't help but look them over. It kept his mind off his situation. He was relieved he had gotten Kimble away from the idea of a phone call and was happy now that it was over with. He had never agreed with the policy of isolating newcomers, but dealt with it as part of his job. He had done his duty now and wasn't aware of how upset Kimble was by his words.

The pilot had ordered a Rum and Coke and looked down in the swirling dark liquid of his glass. "Remy wouldn't hurts me," he spoke softly to himself. Of course he was never really alone, not anymore.

Zander put in his two cents worth. He used Kimble's mouth to say, "Toldja that boy wuz no good fer you. Just fergits him. We gots work ta do anaways."

"I liked his hands on me," Lakotashay replied out loud as well, saying something positive for once. "He made me think of father."

Kyle turned away from the dancers and saw Kimble with his head down, muttering to himself. "Hey, you okay?"

Kimble wouldn't look at him. He was becoming blind to these new audible exchanges and wasn't paying attention to anything else around him. He rubbed his hand on his cheek in a gentle caress, closing his eyes. "I liked it, too. He wuzn't ever mean ta me. Not even once."

"What about that time he yelled atcha, huh? He wuzn't so nice then," Zander complained.

"That's cuz I wuz touchin' his girl."

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe ya jus' saw how he really wuz."

"No. He wuz nice ta us!" Lakotashay insisted sharply.

Kimble little impromptu conversation was loud enough for Kyle to hear. He put a hand on Kimble's shoulder. "Hey, Kim. Chill out, okay? I didn't mean to upset you."

Kimble sniffed and looked up at him, breaking away from his now outer and not so inner selves. "I'm all right."

"No you're not. You're sitting here talking to yourself. What can I do to make you feel better?"

The pilot shrugged and wouldn't look up at him. He was miserable now and cloudy, thinking maybe coming here was a mistake. He wanted to explore this world and his powers, but wasn't happy with anything that spoiled his good moods. He felt a twinge of fear that he would fare no better here than he had with the X-men.

Kyle sensed his foul mood and offered, "You want to go to the Club? You seemed to like that Purple Room all right."

Kimble turned to him then and Lakotashay boldly spoke in her child like voice. "I wants ta feel a man's hands on me. I wants it ta be like it wuz with our father."

Kyle shivered as gooseflesh broke out over his arms. The voice of that young child was so eerie coming out of the grown man's body. He was never going to be used to this, no matter how many times he heard it. Cameron was cracked if he thought Kimble was going to be up to the task he had designated for him. Kyle felt sick to his stomach, but he said, "C'mon."

He stood and took Kimble's hand, leading him down the same hallway Melany had taken him before. This time he stopped in front of an orange door that had a marking on it different from the one Kimble had gone to before. "You'll find what you want here. Just remember you've promised to go to class tomorrow. Don't be too long."

Kimble nodded without speaking and entered. He walked down a short hallway before he found the doorway to the actual room itself. This new room was much larger than the Purple Room and not set up the same way. It was different in that it was more private. It wasn't all open, it was divided up into a bar and a row cubicles. The doors all had numbers on them and small notices to indicate if they were currently empty or being used. Privacy here was guaranteed. A small group of men lounged near another bar, waiting. Heads turned in Kimble's direction when he entered and one of the men turned around and smiled at him.

Kimble looked them over, but he wasn't quite himself. Lakotashay had seen what Zander had done about taking some control and she did it now. She walked with Kimble closer to the men and took over the body. It was easier than she thought and it felt natural, like she should be the one here all the time. She loosed her hair and let it fall free about her shoulders. Her masculine posture changed and she walked with more grace, turning more heads in her direction.

Kimble wasn't asleep, he was aware of what she was doing and didn't mind. He found he actually enjoyed this sense of duality, it was almost like he had his girl skin again. This would be the closest he would ever get to having it and so was pleased. He relaxed happily and let her do as she wished.

She prowled along the bar, waiting for someone to reach out to her. It didn't take long.

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Kyle walked into Cameron's office, doing a good Kimble imitation as he muttered with himself. He wasn't the least bit happy about his last conversation with Kimble, he was worried. Cameron was there in the office with Leon and they were both watching Kimble on the monitor. Cameron turned to him. "Nice work. You did that quite well."

"Did what? Break his heart? He's not right, Cam, and I don't want any part of this anymore."

"He just needs some guidance that's all. He won't be calling home now."

"Ewww!" Leon complained. He was watching Lakotashay on the screen and she had just kissed her date and was walking off with him to a cubicle. When the camera perspective changed to the room itself, he turned his head away. He had no way of knowing that someone other than Kimble was actually at the helm but it probably wouldn't have mattered. His views on men and sex had been badly damaged. He turned to Cameron and said, "Kyle's right. Kimble ain't right in the head. Why do you have that stupid room anyways, Cam? It ain't right what they do in there!"

"Boys, please. Kimble is just different, that's all. And you, Leon, you must be tolerant. Love comes in many forms."

"Well, he just better stay away from me with that crap," Leon grumbled and put his head down. He would never believe that homosexual men could love, not after what had been done to him. It just wasn't possible.

Lakotashay had undressed her client and went down on her knees in front of him. Leon peeked, he couldn't help himself. His eyes opened wide when he saw what the pilot did next. He stood up and fisted his hands. "Oh, I don't think so! Look at what he's doing! How long before he takes in the ass!"

Cameron just smiled and could help himself from saying, "Oh, I'd say in about ten minutes or so from the look on Paul's face." He had recognized the man who had chosen 'Shay to please him.

"I won't feed him! **It**! Whatever it is! It ain't natural!" Leon howled. His face had flushed and he fists glowed faintly orange with the urge to fight.

"Leon, please! Control yourself! I understand you have a problem with this, but we can't let it interfere with our goal! Move away from the screens if you can't keep quiet!" Cameron said impatiently.

"How can you say that **thing** is going to protect us, Cam! C'mon!"

"He's not a thing, he's a computer program. He's not even real like you and me. He's a pleasure program and only obeying the designs of his programming. If it helps you, thinks about him that way. He's a program and we are going to work on him, change him into what we need. He's going to be trained and you will leave him alone, Leon. Your job is to feed him, nothing more. If he approaches you in a manner you don't like, we'll deal with it, but I don't think it will happen."

"You seem to know a lot of things you're not telling us and I don't like it," Kyle said, complaining himself as he crossed his arms. "Why don't you save us all some time and tell us everything."

"Joshua doesn't tell me everything at once," Cameron lied smoothly. "Sometimes he speaks in riddles and it doesn't all make sense until it happens. Be patient. Until then, keep an eye on him and keep him away from a phone. I want him in class and working hard."

"And if he resists?" Kyle asked."He's skipped one class already because he couldn't handle the topic of violence and he just got here."

"Then we'll find a way to deal with him. Everyone has weaknesses. I'm sure he does as well."

Kyle shook his head. "And the voices?"

"So he's got more than one person rattling around in there? Maybe if we get to know them, we might find one more suitable than Kimble for what we need."

Kyle blinked in surprise at that twisted bit of logic. "Excuse me?"

"Talk to him. Get to know him better," Cameron said, ignoring Kyle's startled response. "Help him settle in. He wants to learn how to fly? Good. Work on that. Make him happy. He will become one of us, you will see to it. Both of you."

Kyle and Leon exchanged glances. They would never be fond of one another, but it looked like they were stuck in the same boat. Cameron was a wise man and so far hadn't led them astray — that they knew of anyway. They would do this thing and hope for the best.

Kyle grunted and walked out, heading back to the bar and another drink. He had a quick drink and left, coming into the hall just as Kimble came walking out of the Orange Room. The Siskan's eyes were glassy and he looked stoned, at the very least, he was well pleased with himself. He said nothing to Kyle but walked off in the direction of his room, his stride and body attitude still feminine and lithe. Kyle shook his head, not wanting to accept this. This was a mistake and was going to end badly, he just knew it.


	3. Chapter 3

(Three)

Remy sat on the roof of the building opposite Cameron's little hideout. He'd been lumped with Logan and Fallen on this spy shift. They each took turns watching in twenty minute intervals. He was using his down time to take a quick peek through Kimble's notebook. In it, Kimble had scrawled down brief notes about his near death experience. He had seen his creator, Sheyman, in the light. He had wanted so desperately to go into the Light with his former Master, but Sheyman told him he had to go back to the real world. He had a job left to do. An angel was going to come to him and he would know what that job was. In the meantime, he had been charged with learning his powers and building his defensive skills.

Kimble had written about how Zander was pressing him to learn, but at the same time was tormenting him with this girl child ghost. She was always complaining about being in pain and wanted Kimble to kill himself. Kimble thought it was a joke or some kind of stupid game Zander was trying to play. He found no humor in this and was a little put out over it. Remy closed his eyes and cursed softly. Kimble had already been feeling the effects of a shattered personality, but hadn't known what it was. He didn't trust anyone enough to talk about it, not even Remy.

"Somethin' wrong, Gumbo?" Logan growled. He was on watch and he spoke without turning his head. Fallen had dozed off at his feet and Logan left her alone even though it was already her turn to be looking out. She'd been sullen and quiet and he was more comfortable with her out cold than staring blankly off into space. She had Remy's trench coat balled up under her head like a pillow.

"Kimble been 'earin' de voices and he didn' even say nuthin' to me."

This time Wolverine glanced back at him. Remy's voice was tired and strained. "How long?"

"Since he come out back on de Dragon. Firs' he be dreamin', den 'e be 'earin' dem talkin' to 'im. He t'ink Zander been playin' a game wit 'im. De voices sometimes say 'e should kill 'imself. Dis boy ain't been right, Wolvie. Not for a long time." The thought of a suicidal Kimble had Remy's hands shaking just a little bit. Again, Kimble was on his own with no guidance.

Logan saw Remy's concern and was quick to say, "Maybe it's not such a bad idea that the shrink lady come by. Maybe she can help with Kimble when we bring him home."

Wolverine heard Remy smile. "Got de word she real pretty, dis shrink lady of yours. Gambit's already 'earin' you got an eye for 'er, man. I ain't seen dis petite m'self, but I 'eard Jeannie goin' on an' on about it dis mornin'."

"Yer dreamin'."

Remy just laughed, knowing from Wolverine's posture that he'd been right on the mark. He began to sing in a childish voice, "Logan an' Karen sitttin' in a tree...K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Firs' come love, den come marriage, den come all dese mutant babies clawin' outta deir baby carriage!"

"Asshole," Logan grumbled good naturedly. He was in too good a mood to let his obnoxious teammate bother him.

Remy snickered, but fell gradually silent as he read through Kimble's book some more. He read Kimble's mutterings about his wish for Remy to possess him and be his Master. It made Remy feel sick as much as it broke his heart to feel Kimble's loneliness. It felt odd to read about someone's sexual fascination with him, it had never happened before. It was creepy and sad. As much as Kimble tried to explain that this was all a Siskan thing, a part of being a Courtesan, it was still disturbing. Kimble wanted to be owned, he thought it was what love was. Fallen had been his owner and she had abandoned him for Seth, leaving him behind in a sense. This was Kimble's pain. She had never loved him for real and when he tried to push himself on Remy, he'd been rejected again. Kimble was at a loss and his breaking heart was swallowing him whole. When he had been sneaking out, he was looking for more than just a good time, Remy realized. All it would have taken was for someone to come up to Kimble and call themselves his Master. Kimble would gone willingly, just to have a place to truly belong. Remy was flooded with guilt and his spirits tanked. He couldn't even deal with his own problems, how was he supposed to help his new little brother with his?

Gambit knew Cameron Bishop was dangerous. He was familiar with most of the mutant groups as part of his being an infiltrator and spy. Cameron was a master manipulator and con artist. He wasn't above a little murder or mayhem, just not as bad as Jael or the Brotherhood, another mutant faction run by freaks as violent as Sabretooth. Gambit had stolen from Cameron more than once while looking for information on people under his control. Charles may not have been aware of the extent of Remy's knowledge of Kimble's new benefactor, sometimes Charles would just say "Fetch," and Remy did, not bothering to explain his sources and the Professor didn't ask.

A while back, Remy had been in Cameron's penthouse and some of the more private floors of his building. He had gone looking for intelligence. He found what he was looking for, careful to liberate some lonely looking diamonds and gold coins along the way. A tip, yeah. That's what it was. A fringe benefit. He often gave most of his secret earnings to orphanages in the City under a fake name. It was a Robin Hood kind of thing and another small way Gambit would make up for his crimes. The rest he squirreled away for a rainy day. He was actually quite wealthy but used very little of it, saving it for something, he just didn't know what. When he finally got around to figuring out what it was he really wanted, the money would be there.

It was getting late and Gambit was running out of sunlight. He had good night vision, but not for reading. He closed the book filled with Kimble's tortured ramblings and closed his eyes. He was tired and only wanted Kimble home in the worst way. He missed that wayward pilot more than he could say. It was like a part of himself was missing.

He startled when he heard a thump beside him. Rogue had arrived with the next shift. She had come withWarren and another newbie named Thomas. Thomas was a junior telepath and just starting his training. This mission was not high risk so the Professor sent him out just to get some field experience.

Remy stood and stretched, not looking at his ex-lover as he walked past her. He was still bewildered that she hadn't come back to him. They had separated before, but never for as long as this. She usually took a few days before she got too lonely for him and wanted him back. Most of the time, the breaks were a relief to him. They would generally last just long enough for him to drink himself silly and whore around with few girls. He would get all of that out of system, that need to actually touch a woman all over, and then they would make up. This time, he figured it was her turn for a little side action and that she would come around eventually. So far it hadn't happened -- he had fully expected her to grow bored with Manny's yuppy and sedate manner by now, but he was starting to grow afraid that if she hadn't by now, she wasn't going to. It did nothing to help his already falling spirits.

"Night, y'all," he mumbled and moved away, never seeing the odd way that Warren's eyes tracked him as he got ready to leave.

Logan saw it well enough and wondered what it was about. For the first time, Angel didn't look angry at the thief, only puzzled and in some way, sad for him. "Let's bail," Wolverine grumbled, giving Fallen a nudge to rouse her so they could get moving.

Fallen groaned and got up stiffly. They had been there all day and she was miserable. She hadn't been thrilled with Anya's prediction of Kimble's possible destruction and was afraid all this was a waste of time. She also missed Seth horribly. Her fears of never touching him again had returned with Kimble's absence, Kimble was her only direct link with Seth. She said nothing, but kept her eyes down and grabbed Logan and Remy, flying them down to the alley where the Jeep was parked.

----------------------------------

Remy parked his Jeep in the garage of the Mansion and got out quickly, heading up to the house with his head down and not speaking to anyone. Logan watched him go with silent understanding. This whole day had been a waste. They had been there all day and had nothing to show for their time.

"What are we going to do?" Fallen asked softly. She hadn't even moved from the back seat. There were no words to describe the depth of her devastation and now she was going to have to go back to Seth empty handed. Seth would be crushed as well.

"We eat, get some rest, and go back out in the mornin'. Sooner or later, we'll find a way ta get a him, even if we have to wait the full two weeks. Anya's never wrong." He turned back to look at her tired, strained face. "Don't you worry, darlin'. Me and the Cajun'll bring him back home."

Fallen laughed softly and wiped at her face as she started to cry.

"What?" Logan asked.

"I was just wondering where exactly I lost him, you know? He's been right in front of me all this time, but he was gone the moment we stepped off the ship. I was a fool to ever bring him here."

"It's not yer fault. Yer better off here than back with the Clan. We'll get Kimble back, it's just a matter of time, darlin'. Why don'tcha go in and have some supper? I'll just bet Charlie's whipped up somethin' nice fer us."

They went into the house. Logan was correct in the food department, a nice roast awaited them with some cooked vegetables out of consideration for Fallen. It had gotten around quickly that she wouldn't eat meat and so accommodations were made. Gambit had made himself a plate and took it up to his room to eat alone, he wasn't feeling very sociable. Fallen ate quietly with Logan and went down to the ship to sleep, leaving Wolverine on his own.

Logan sat at the kitchen table alone, sipping coffee and smoking quietly. He wasn't supposed to smoke in the house, but with most of the staff gone from Jael's disease, there was no one to yell at him for it. He looked behind him when he heard someone coming and was surprised to see Karen. It was getting late and she was dressed in a large flannel nightgown with the prerequisite pink fuzzy slippers. He would never admit this to anyone, but something about an old fashioned flannel nightgown really turned him on. He grinned. Maybe this day wasn't going to be a total waste after all.

"Hey, darlin'. Didn't expect to see you still here."

"The Professor made me an offer I couldn't refuse," she said, pouring herself a cup of coffee and sitting down across from him.

"Really?" Wolverine replied, doing his best to keep his excitement out of his voice. Nothing could have pleased him more at that moment.

"Yes. It seems Mason left Molly quite a bit of money, naming Charles as her executor. He said he would pay me full time to stay and work with Molly. I really needed the break from my other job so I jumped on it."

"What were you doing?"

"I was working with emotionally impaired mutants. I've actually been working with Molly for some time. When I first saw her, she couldn't sign and was totally wild."

"Where did she come from?"

"Mason took her off of the streets. He was inspecting a building when it suddenly caught fire. She was homeless and living in the basement when it happened. She fled the building, but stopped to save him. In return he gave her a place to stay, but couldn't get through to her. He knew about me and asked me for help."

"That's all ya know about her? That she was homeless?"

She cocked her head at him. "You say that like you have something on your mind."

"Well, I got some suspicions, but nuthin' concrete."

"Spill."

He grinned, enjoying her directness. "Well, we had a guy here some time back, another feral guy like Molly. He was a real badass with claws. Big guy, blonde hair. He came here looking for help. He thought Charlie could help him not be such a killer and a loser. I knew about him for a long time before that, most of us did, and we weren't happy about it, but you know Chuck. He takes 'em all in, no matter what. Of course it was a disaster, just like I said it would be."

"You're that much of a smart guy, huh?" she teased.

"Yup," Logan answered smugly, pleased even more that she was flirting with him. "All hell broke loose, but that ain't my point. My point is that Henry's real thorough. He's got DNA on this guy. I got an idea that there might be a match there fer Molly."

"Really? And what makes you think that?"

"Well, other than the obvious shi–um, stuff...she's got the blonde hair and claws. She kinda smells like him."

"Hmm...Interesting. Maybe I can get Henry to draw some blood from her."

"It'd be a real good idea 'cause this guy's got a real nasty habit of killin' off his kids. I'll just bet Molly's mom was a prostitute that managed to get away from him. He usually slashes up his women."

"Why would he do that?"

"Well, one of his kids grew up to be Greydon Creed. He came out human but founded a group called Friends of Humanity, a vicious anti-mutant group. When ol' Saby found about it, he took after Greydon and killed him. He vowed never ta let none of his kids live after that."

"Saby?"

"Sabretooth. Victor Creed."

Karen gasped and sat back in her chair. "Sabretooth! Are you saying he's Molly's father?"

Logan raised his hand, asking for patience. "Easy, girl. I said **maybe**. Chances are he don't know about Molly and that's good. I just wanna make sure about it before we do anything rash, all right? If he is her dad, than she's in the right place." He paused when he saw a look of dumbstruck wonder on her face. "What?"

"Molly's dreams," she whispered in a daze, her mind still racing.

"What're ya talkin' about?"

Karen fixed him with her eyes and gave him another winning smile that almost took his breath away. "Molly has terrible nightmares. She has since she was small, she says. She dreams about the 'Lion Man'. He came when she was small, about four years old. He came and killed her mother. She tried to hide in a closet but the Lion Man sniffed her out. He caught her and then slashed her throat. When she told me this, I had always thought it was a metaphor, a child's way of dealing with a traumatic experience. Now I wonder if this was something that really happened just as she dreams it."

"Maybe if we showed her some pictures of Creed?"

Karen shook her head. "Not just yet. Maybe when she's had more time to settle in. I don't want to upset her while she's in a new place."

"Well, you don't have to worry about this Lion Man or Creed gettin' in here. Me an' Creed go way back. We useta work together in the military before he finally went over the edge and they couldn't take him anymore. He's a nut job ta be sure, but he ain't gettin' in here. I saw ta that a long time ago after he left here. This place is real secure. We'll keep yer Molly safe."

"As safe as Kimble?" she offered timidly, unsure of how he would react.

_Cripes!_ Logan groaned inside. _Why did it always have to come down to that stupid asshole?_ "Now we looked after Kimble just fine. It's not our fault he was sneakin' off. He was goin' out, sneakin' around an' askin' fer all kinda trouble."

"What was he sneaking out for?"

"What else? Whores. Probably lucky he wasn't down at Barney's."

"What's Barney's?"

"Local gay bar." Wolverine didn't elaborate further.

"You didn't like him."

"That obvious, huh? Yeah, well me an' him had different views on things."

"Was it because he was bisexual? You seem uncomfortable with homosexuality."

Logan groaned inside. He should have known better than to sit here with a woman who had a degree in psychology. "I ain't got a problem with...gays. I have a problem with Kimble."

"Why?"

" 'Cause he ain't really gay. What he is, is a guy who can't control his hormones. He don' discriminate, darlin'. If it's warm an' has a hole r' two, he's all over it," Logan said, his irritation making him speak more crudely than he normally would in front of a woman he was interested in. "He was all over the students as soon as he got here and couldn't control his powers. He didn't even try actually. He just did as he pleased and when he got in trouble, he couldn't handle it."

"He couldn't handle it, or you couldn't handle him?"

Logan stood quickly, his anger surging. He stood there bristling for a moment, then swallowed it. He laughed a little and looked at her with ice cold eyes. "You don' wanna be foolin' round inside of my head, girlie. Maybe you got an idea that you can come in here and psychoanalyze me, but yer dead wrong. Better folks than you have tried and it didn't work out so well fer them. Best be real careful."

She just smiled up at him, not the least bit afraid of his show of macho dominance and posturing. "I can see you have a problem discussing personal matters."

"Got it in one, such a smart little girl," Logan sneered arrogantly, no longer interested in pursuing someone who wanted to get that involved with his mind. Way too many locked doors best left that way.

Karen stood, meeting him at eye level. She stared him down, not willing to let him see her fear. He was very intimidating all tensed up and hard. She'd seen this from a lot of the men she'd worked with, including a brief run in with Creed herself. If she let Logan cow her, she'd never get him to open up about anything. The truth was that Charles Xavier had asked her to stay not just for Molly, but for Kimble if and when he was ever returned. Charles was concerned at how badly things had turned out and how it disrupted the rhythm of the team.

"I hope you don't think that threats and aggressive posturing will work on me, Logan, because it won't. I've seen far worse from bigger losers than you. All I wanted was to talk to you and get to know you better. I'm sorry if that intimidated you, I didn't mean to frighten you," she said, deliberately making him feel foolish. "If you change your mind and want to have a real conversation about real things, I'll be around." She grabbed her cup and started to walk out.

"Wait! Wait... I didn't mean ta snap at ya like that," Logan said, cooling a little. "It's just that he really bugs me, that's all."

"Who? Kimble? From what I've heard, he wasn't that big a deal."

"Who didja talk to? Chuck? He don't know nuthin'."

"And you do? Enlighten me then. What did Kimble do that was so bad? Really, I'm very interested in your opinion."

"I ain't got time, it's late."

"Then write it down."

"What?"

"Write it down. You can write?"

He glared at her.

"Get a notebook from Henry and write it down. Just put down whatever comes to your mind. I promise not to let anyone else read it. It will be private between you and me."

"Why're you so interested in him?"

"What makes you think it's him I'm interested in? I'll just bet your opinions would tell me a lot about you. Might be interesting." she said, smiling at him flirtatiously.

Logan stood still, momentarily breathless. She was so beautiful standing there unafraid. "I'll think about it."

"I'll be waiting with eager anticipation." she teased, sipping her coffee. "I'll see you around." She left, walking slowly. She was very aware of his eyes on her as she walked away. She couldn't explain her attraction to him, it was so unexpected and wonderful. She was a workaholic without much time for dating. It had been a long time since she was this interested in anyone and the thought of it made her smile. Yes, it was going to be so much fun living here.


	4. Chapter 4

(Four)

The next morning, Remy made his way down to the kitchen, hungry and ready for coffee. He lost some of his good humor when he saw Logan had beat him down there, the man was sitting at the table with Karen and Molly. As Gambit had feared, the coffee was already made. He groaned internally at the thought of Logan's sludge and could do little more than smile a lukewarm greeting to his teammate. Logan tracked him with his eyes, saying nothing but grinning silently.

It was late now, around ten, and Gambit cursed himself for being a late sleeper. He crept over to the coffee pot dreading the worst, but was pleasantly surprised when he sniffed at it and it was at least half of Logan's usual strength, someone else had made this. He grinned happily now and poured a cup. He sipped it and was even more pleased when it was even better than he had expected.

He turned to the crowd and took in what was going on. Karen was sitting across from Molly with a large children's book open and out on the table. She was trying to teach Molly how to read. Remy watched with rapt curiosity when he saw Molly gesture with her hands at Karen and cocked his head with a grin when Karen signed back. Molly had read the word inaccurately and Karen was correcting her. She made the sign again with exaggerated slowness, speaking aloud. Molly repeated the gesture and Karen praised her. Gambit was amused and couldn't help but chuckle softly. Sign language, it had been a while since he'd seen it.

His observation didn't go unnoticed. Molly heard his noise and turned her chair to cough a rough bark at him.

"Oui, petite?" he replied with a playful lilt to his voice.

**_Is it all right?_ **she signed._**The coffee, I mean.**_

He cocked his head at her and grinned that charming smile of his. He set the cup down and shocked everyone else by skillfully signing back. **_It's always all right whenever Logan doesn't make it._**

Molly laughed and smiled at him, happy that someone other than Karen had responded to her attempts to communicate. She looked different now that she had been cleaned up and properly cared for. She was no longer the feral, snarling prisoner that had arrived a couple of days ago. Her hair was clean and brushed and her face had a happy glow. He could see now her eyes were a nice pale blue and full of curiosity and fun. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a red colored T-shirt, a little big.

"I'm impressed," Karen said to Remy. "I didn't know anyone here could sign."

"Gambit's a bit rusty, but yeah. Had a cousin back N'awlin's way who was deaf."

"Funny how you've never mentioned it," Wolverine grumbled. He was unhappy any time something new was revealed about Remy that the thief had kept hidden. Logan resented the fact that after all this time, Remy still didn't quite trust them.

"It never came up," Gambit replied arrogantly and hopped up on the counter top to sit. He winked at Molly and signed, **_Hello, my name is Remy. _**He spoke his name out loud so she would know it.

She returned his smile and replied, **_My name is Molly. _**

Her movements lacked his practice, but he was able to make it out. He cracked his knuckles and asked, **_Did you make the coffee?_**

_**Yes. I hope it's not too strong.**_

_**Petite, you ain't had strong until you've had Logan's. I hope you never have to find out. Who taught you to make coffee?**_

_**Mason.**_

_**Who's Mason, is that your dad?**_

Molly's face went a little sad. **_He's the guy who was taking care of me. He's dead._**

_**Sorry, chere. Gambit didn't know.**_

Molly laughed softly. **_Who's Gambit?_**

Remy cocked his head again and gave her another flirtatious smile, turning on the charm automatically, it was second nature to him with women. **_Gambit is me and I am Gambit. We are the same._**

"Hope yer not talkin' dirty now. She's a bit young fer you," Wolverine growled, feeling a little left out. In his long life, sign language was a skill he'd never had a reason to learn.

"Never stopped him before, why would it now?" Rogue said, entering the room. She had arrived in high spirits, fresh and ready for her day. She was dressed in a half shirt with tight jeans. She had left the body stocking behind, boldly walking about with her flesh exposed. It was a new habit she had begun since she had taken up with Manny as if his ability to touch her now made it safe for everyone else. She had been cautioned by the Professor and Logan both, but she was always a bit wild and ignored them. So far nothing bad had happened, so no one really pushed the issue.

Gambit watched as she approached, his eyes locking onto her hungrily. All that bright naked skin made him flush instantly. At that moment, she was all he saw and she knew it. He tracked her as he raised his mug to drink, trying to make his inspection of her look casual. She wasn't fooled and glided closer, knowing full well she had his complete attention. She reached for the coffee pot and poured a cup, standing very close to him. He was in the way and she boldly nudged him with an uncovered arm.

Remy smiled irritably and shook his head without speaking. She hadn't touched him where his skin was bare but her message was clear enough. He didn't move out of her way, but instead crossed his legs, deliberately brushing her butt with his foot. Insulted, she bumped him in roughly return and he sloshed coffee from his cup into his lap.

"Chienne!" he snarled as he was scalded, the curse spilling out of his mouth before he could stop it. He set his cup down before she could make him spill more. "You one clumsy girl, I swear!"

"You're the one bein' fresh, Cajun! And don't you call me a bitch, in French or otherwise!"

"Not my fault yo' ass is so big!" he snapped, reaching for a towel. He was soaked.

Rogue yanked it out of his reach. "The only thing big around here is your mouth!"

"Not de only t'ing big on me, neh?" he returned with his usual cockiness, grabbing for the towel again. She kept it out of reach as she glared at him with defiant eyes. He reached for the towel again, this time his other hand brushing her watch unseen, a slight done quickly, and he gave the band a little charge of bio-kinetic energy. It was the same as large static shock. She squealed in surprise and jumped back, clearing the way for him to reach for the prize. He snatched the towel and grunted at her triumphantly, sticking his tongue out at her. He sat back, all proud of himself, and began to pat at his drowned lap. He leered at her as he did this, and raised an eyebrow suggestively. "You gonna give a boy a hand, chere? Is your mess after all."

"Go suck an egg!" she snapped and shoved him roughly, pushing him further away on the counter. "Why can't you sit at the table like a civilized person?"

Remy cursed again and almost came off the edge. His cup teetered dangerously and he managed to catch it before it crashed to the floor. He sloshed more hot coffee over his hand in the process and hissed another complaint in garbled French. His eyes squinted and he sneered at her, no longer enjoying the game. He was about to make another nasty comment but Wolverine interrupted him.

"Hey you two, quit it or take that crap outside!" Logan complained, not in the mood.

Molly watched the whole thing with wry amusement but was very aware that there was more than just rambunctious playing behind all this. These two had been an item and had broken up recently, she had heard in the whispers of the Xavier hallways. Remy was trying to act like it didn't matter, but everyone knew better. His fooling around was a way of covering his pain. Now he was burned and angry, all the pain had been on his end and it was taking all of the fun out of today's little game. He adjusted his seat on the counter top, not giving in, but sucked on his stinging fingers miserably. His skin was scalded and he knew he should put them under cold water, but hadn't wanted to get up. It would be acknowledging he'd lost. Rogue didn't care. She moved away, her posture telling all she felt she had won this round fair and square.

Molly signed at Gambit, her eyes full of concern, **_You okay?_**

He caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. **_Sure, chere. Gambit always is._**

"Where's Fallen?" he asked out loud, wanting to move on. "She's late."

Logan shrugged. "Sleepin' in, I guess. She ain't been real excited 'bout hangin' out on Cameron's roof."

Remy hopped down from the counter and picked up the phone, dialing Fallen's extension. He was closer to the sink now and used it to run cool water over his scalded fingers. He'd lost the battle so it didn't matter if he lost face now as well.

Seth picked it up on the other end. "It's about time somebody called!" he snapped irritably. It was very unlike him and Remy was instantly concerned.

"Whoa dere, buddy. Take it easy. What's goin' on?"

"Fallen went into Kimble's room and hasn't come out. Kimble didn't put a screen in there so I can't see what's going on. She's been in there all night. She never got around to rigging the phone for me to call out so I couldn't get a hold of anybody."

"Hang tight, little buddy. Gambit's on 'is way down." He clicked off and started to leave. He paused in his stride when Wolverine joined him without saying anything. Logan's sharp ears had picked up Seth's end of the conversation as well. He considered it a matter of security and was concerned since he now considered Fallen to be part of his team so now he decided to come along. They departed quickly and went to the elevator. On the way down, Gambit slowly opened a pack of gum and slid a piece into his mouth.

"Somethin' on yer mind, Cajun?"

"Fallen's been quiet."

"Everybody's been quiet." Logan sniffed at him. "You smell like the tunnels, boy. Where ya been runnin'?"

Gambit shrugged casually. "Jael's place a tunnel. Figured maybe he took up some of de Morlock space left empty. Folks don' generally go down dere. S' quiet."

"You turn up anything?"

"Nope, but Gambit ain't gone too far."

Gambit shifted uncomfortably and it wasn't from his burned fingers. It was very hard for him, going down there again. It was a testament to his will and strong desire to take Jael down that he even braved it at all. Logan showed his respect by not pressing the issue further. If Remy found anything important, he would tell him, he knew it.

The elevator came to a stop and they went to the hanger. Logan said nothing as Remy scanned his hand and went inside the ship. Remy and Henry were the only ones Fallen had given complete freedom to enter and leave at will, this was a precaution she had taken after Kimble's room invasion all those weeks ago. Logan didn't have the same level of access. As head of Security, he would have to change that.

Seth popped up on the Main screen as soon as they entered, his face tight with worry. "She's in Kimble's room."

Remy nodded and looked over, the door was shut. He knocked softly. " 'Ey, Fallen? You okay, chere?" There was no reply. He tugged on the door, it was locked. He grinned in irritation and popped the lock with a small snap of kinetic energy and a swift twist of his wrist. He opened the door and stepped inside.

Fallen lay sprawled on Kimble's bed, her body twisted up in his blankets. She had emptied his lock box and dumped it all out over the floor. She had made a mess, Remy could see she had flung the stuff about in a fit of anger or despair. He went over to her and nudged her shoulder. She didn't move.

"The girl's stoned, Cajun. Don't bother," Logan grumbled, pissed off. Fallen had been very good lately, he didn't think she had been using at all since they had come back. She had dropped it as fast as she had dumped the Lightening. Kimble's disappearance had changed that apparently.

"Is she okay?" Seth asked from the other room, his voice full of woe.

"Yeah," Logan answered. "She's just sleepin'."

"She's been there all night," the young Siskan complained, his eyes as sad as his voice.

"She shot up with something."

Seth lowered his eyes and turned away, putting his head down. This was just another reminder of how helpless he was. He couldn't do anything while he was still in the system.

Remy rolled Fallen over onto her back and smoothed out the blankets over her. She groaned and her eyes fluttered open. "Kimble? S' that you?"

"Je suis de sole, chere. De boy ain't come back yet."

Fallen turned back the way she had been before, giving him her back and covered her face. "I can't go out today."

"S'okay, now. You get some rest, take it easy." Remy said, tucking her in. It was hard being this close to her, her body was giving off vibrations of such deep sorrow and misery, it was making Gambit's throat hurt at the thought of it.

She was saying, "I miss him so much. I miss the way he used to play and laugh all of the time. I miss the way he would tell jokes to cheer me up when I was so sad. Yes, I miss his laughter. He hardly ever laughs anymore." Fallen squeezed her eyes shut as tears teased the corners of her eyes.

Gambit swallowed, trying to get past the lump in his throat. Pain and misery were the hardest emotions for him to block he was learning, and he tried his best to make her feel better. "Je sais, I know, chere. Gambit miss him, too. 'E understand yo' pain, but doin' dis to y'self, it ain't gonna 'elp nobody. It ain't gonna 'elp Kimble or Seth. He in de nex' room all shakin' an' scare' 'cause 'e don' know what to do for you. We all feelin' guilty fo' makin' Kimble leave. De only way ta make dat right is ta go find 'im, chere, not hidin' away while de worl' rip him apart. Dat's how we lose him in de first place."

She lost the battle with her emotions and began to cry. "I didn't mean to be so mean to him. It's just...it's just...Seth!"

Remy rubbed her shoulder with gentle reassurance. "Si bien. I'm sure Kim understands. We gonna get 'im back, you'll see. You jus' take it easy t'day, is all."

He held her until she calmed, then finished tucking her in and withdrew, his face now tired and sad. He left her alone and came out into the Main Room. He looked at Kimble's brother who stood slumped in the Control Room of the Dragon's computer, his misery shining bright. He raised a hand and lay it on the screen as Fallen had always done. "I'll get 'Enry for you. He'll fix de phone."

"Thanks," Seth replied, his tone dismal. There weren't words to describe his misery. His brother was gone and his Mistress was depressed. He was trapped in here with no way out. He was useless, not a good thing for a Siskan to be.

Remy smiled at him, sensing his thoughts. "**Tay kunda Siska esk, non?** Don' worry, we'll get Kimble back. We gonna fix alla dis."

Seth turned to him, grateful for Gambit's consideration and thoughtfulness. He lay his hand over Remy's. "I see why my brother loves you," he replied in Siskan, prompted by Remy's usage of it. "You are very much alike."

"Merci, mon ami. I'll take dat as a compliment. You sit tight, 'Enry will be right down. Gambit will see to it, bien?"

"Thanks."

Logan was quiet through the whole exchange. He didn't need an understanding of Siskan to know what was said. Seth was hurting, left out because of his inability to do anything and Remy was there to help. These Siskans had integrated themselves into Gambit's life and he had embraced them eagerly, something unexpected. The loner thief was changing before his eyes, growing up. "We gotta roll, Cajun. Our shift is comin' up," he grumbled softly, not really complaining.

"D'accorde. I'm wit you, patron."

They left Seth and Fallen behind, making sure to stop at Henry's to tell him what was going on. Henry was only just rising, but promised to go down to the Lucky Dragon as soon as he was showered and ready. Logan and Remy went into the elevator and returned to the upper level. In the car, Wolverine once more looked over his teammate.

"You look kinda beat. Maybe you should take a nap while we're out. Gotten' kinda used ta havin' a body at my feet. Don't make no difference if it's yours."

Remy just smiled at him. These were serious times and their agenda was full. He wanted Kimble home, but needed to know where Jael was. If they failed to bring Kimble back and the pilot was moved to Jael's, they would need to know where to start looking. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, but he was cautious, just as Logan was. Plus, Jael was owed some serious payback for his little prank with the virus. Gambit's memory was long and that was something he wouldn't let go, no matter how long it took.

"Gambit's good, patron. Already 'ad 'is coffee."

"Too bad ya wore most of it. We'll hit a Starbuck's on the way out."

"Fair enough. Who we gonna get ta fly us up to the top? Not much notice."

"Rogue or Warren, take yer pick," Logan tossed out, curious who Remy would pick. He wondered if Remy had noticed Warren's peculiar inspection of him.

He hadn't. Remy groaned in mental agony, the bastard or the bitch, what a choice. This day was going to suck.

Logan just laughed at him. "Jus' kiddin'. The Professor just cleared some new kid from the school named Max. Got wings and everything. He's had a little flight skills training for lift and carry and can get us up there, but he'll be bored easy once we're there. You still got yer Game Boy?"

"Oui, somewheres. I'll dig it up."

"Grab some junk food while yer at it. Maybe if we put him inta sugar shock, he'll go quiet."

"Newbies," Remy joked, shaking his head. "Gotta love 'em."


	5. Chapter 5

(Five)

Remy sat on the roof, his eyes glazing over. He'd had his coffee and a donut for good measure and was now done in every way that counted. Logan looked at him and smiled. He gave the Cajun a nudge and laughed when Gambit gave it up and slumped over to lay down, wiggling a little bit to get to comfortable. He settled down but couldn't fall asleep right away, no matter how tired he was. He couldn't stop thinking about the tunnels.

He'd been going the last couple of nights, looking for Jael's hideout. He would come home from his shift on the roof, change clothes and go right back out again. He'd take searching a tunnel over sitting on his ass like this any day, it felt more like getting something done. His first trip out had been pretty rough, though. The scent of the place and the familiar sights almost did him in. He heaved up his supper, but wouldn't let this place defeat him. He sucked it up and went inside.

He didn't find much. The Morlock Massacre had pretty much emptied the place and folks weren't in an all fired rush to move back in. There were no bodies, no blood. The Massacre had happened years ago and the bodies long since buried, many of them at Xavier's. They had come looking for help and medical attention. For some, it hadn't been enough.

Gambit prowled the tunnels, looking for clues. They were old sewer pipes and subway expansion tubes built by the city long ago and forgotten. The Morlocks had claimed them for themselves and even added onto them. They were vast and unmapped, though he tried his best to take notes of where he was going. He didn't need a flashlight though he had brought a penlight along to write his notes. His ruby red eyes were well suited for the dark and he saw quite easily. It was one of the things that made him such a good thief, that and his stealth. He made no sound as he traveled and left no trace of his passing.

He still didn't find anything, all technological and biological advantages notwithstanding. It might have been better if he'd brought Logan with him as a bloodhound, but he wouldn't be able to look him in the eyes, not in this place. Wolverine had been on the team that came down here and drove the Marauders off. It would have been too much.

Gambit looked for any signs that someone had been coming and going down here, but found nothing. There was a fine layer of dust and grime on everything, nothing was disturbed. Of course, that didn't mean Jael didn't have an area camouflaged off or an addition somewhere else down the line. Still, if they were using this place, they certainly weren't walking in and out. No vehicles could fit and no footprints were found.

Still, something nagged at him. He'd gotten the scent of this place when Jael had taken him. It was too much to be coincidence. He just had to keep looking. If he was lucky, he would turn up something. Those thoughts were rumbling around inside of his brain when he finally dropped off to sleep on this boring old rooftop. He was snoring softly a few minutes later and Logan smiled again.

"Yes!"

Wolverine turned and scowled at Fallen's replacement. Max was sitting on his other side, totally engrossed in Gambit's Game Boy. Obviously he had succeeded at something. He was dressed like the teenager he was --- jeans, T-shirt, sneakers (untied of course). Funny how he never seemed to trip. He just smiled and cruised along, never stumbling over those long loose laces trailing behind him. His shirts had been cut to allow for his feathered wings. He was so like Warren and yet not. Both were blonde and feathered, but not related. Warren's bones were hollow so his wings could lift him, Max's were not. He was like Fallen in that he used both his wings and telekinetic ability to fly. Max had the advantage that he could also carry. Warren couldn't, not large passengers anyway. They were simply too heavy.

"How ya hangin' in there, kid?" Logan growled.

"This is so cool!" Max said, beaming. He felt special for having been picked for this. This was like real secret agent stuff!

"Yeah, sure. Whatever ya say," Wolverine said and turned away, not showing his smile. As far as kids went, Max really wasn't that bad. He was easy to please and hadn't complained about being up here. It was a warm day and there were a billion things a kid like Max would probably prefer doing. Logan had picked up some vague rumors about Max being interested in Maylee. He was cool with it, they both seemed like good kids.

Looking at Max was making Logan think. Max and Warren. Molly and Creed. Jeez, what a suck ass thing, to have that monster as your dad. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He had to make sure he had Henry do that test. Best to be sure and prepare for the worst.

Logan scanned Cameron's rooftop, his thoughts drifting elsewhere. He had a notebook next to him and a fresh pen. He hadn't written in it yet, but he would. He smiled as he thought of Karen and her challenge. Yeah, he would have a few choice things to write about Kimble that was certain. _Spoiled_ _rotten little bugger. Sick horny mutherfucker, no fuckin' patience_... He closed his eyes as a shiver of anger took him. He had to stay focused. Let the others worry about Kimble. All he had to do was just bring the bastard home. Charlie could get Kimble straightened out. It wasn't his job.

He mulled over Anya's prediction. It seemed as though they weren't going to pick up Kimble anytime soon. He hadn't been seen at all coming and going from this place. Cameron's was like a fortress. They weren't going to get in and out of here easily, that was for sure. If it came down to it, they would have to set up a team at the warehouse Anya had selected.

He knew he shouldn't go, but it bugged him what she'd said about him not being able to handle Kimble there. He was a rock, he could do the job. Had been for years. He didn't see how Kimble could possibly learn about Crazy John. That was a nightmare come and gone a long time ago. Kimble would have to be some kind of psychic and that talent hadn't been on Kimble's list last he checked. Anya was just being paranoid.

Crazy John. The thought of that man and what he'd done sent a shiver down his spine. No. He wouldn't be thinking about that. It was done, finished. Begone, stupid ghost, fuck you. He did his best to banish the thought, but the next time the breeze ran over his bare arms, gooseflesh rose in spite of the heat.

Max cried out again with pleasure next to him and Wolverine was back in the real world. He blanked out his mind and set his eyes on the target. He would concentrate on the here and now. He would see this through. He would not fuck up. He wouldn't let the team down. He was Wolverine, the best at what he does. Nothing would keep him from doing his job, not some ghost, not even Kimble.

--------------------------------

Later that night, Karen Richards sat at her desk, watching video files on her computer, another coffee cup drained and empty beside her. She had been given a good sized room, fully furnished with an attached private bathroom. She was also provided with all the computer equipment and books she needed to work. It was more than she could have hoped for, she hadn't been prepared for the Professor's generosity. She was a student at the nearby University and this room was easily twice the size of her dorm room at the school and she had it all to herself. It was a little staggering, how quickly she had been accepted and received here. She had only met the Professor a couple of times at the school but they had hit it off very well and she was happy he remembered her and had given her this opportunity to do some real work. This job offer was the best thing to happen to her and she was thrilled and eager to begin.

She had decided to respect the generosity shown to her by getting right to work. She was doing some research on Kimble. She was running a playback of the Danger Room file of Kimble and Gambit dancing. She had no real pictures of Kimble and wanted to see what he was like. She smiled, amused by his antics. He was playful and easily pleased, happy to have the attention of his friend. She could see how much he and Remy cared for each other. She loved the sound of Kimble's laugh.

Henry had also given her some data files of what he little he knew about Kimble. It was almost a story of science fiction and it was hard to believe, but she knew the X-men were real and what they did was quite serious and important. Okay, some of it sounded a little hokey, but she would just gloss over it and do the best she could.

She had read in the file that Henry had given her that at one time, Kimble and Remy had shared some kind of playback of Kimble's memories. A telepathic link had been used and Gambit had been in a kind of shock afterwards. There was also a note that Remy had been ordered to go see her for an evaluation. Henry had been concerned about some residual trauma since there had been a clear indication Kimble had been misused. Remy had blown her off and never rescheduled. Another shy boy. Funny, he didn't seem so shy this morning, not with Molly anyway.

Henry had described the strong bond between Remy and Kimble and that it was important to include Gambit in any form of treatment for Kimble as if he was the pilot's parent or something. Interesting. It was clear Remy was going to be instrumental in getting Kimble straightened out. She played the file over again.

The hairs on the back of her neck rose suddenly and she turned quickly. She startled when she saw Gambit leaning in the doorway watching her. Speak of the devil. She had no idea how long he had been standing there. He was dressed for working, wearing dark clothes and the obligatory, rumpled trench coat. It was now quite late, but he looked like he had just come in from somewhere and he smelled of damp, musty places. He was looking at her with a smile of wry amusement. She couldn't help herself but laugh at him. "Can I help you?"

"De Professor say you lookin' after Kimble now, n'est ce pas?"

"When he gets back, yes."

She paused the file and rolled her chair away from the desk so she could turn and face him. She'd met him this morning but hadn't been properly introduced. He was an outsider like Logan and was never among the main group of people she saw every day. She was curious why he should seek her out now. He looked her over with his glittering red eyes, that wry grin teasing the corners of his mouth. He was quite handsome and she liked the way he spoke. He lounged against her doorframe as though he owned it, his arms casually crossed over his chest.

She extended her hand. "I'm Karen Richards. We met this morning."

He stayed where he was, enjoying the view. "I 'member you well enough. You wit de Molly girl, eh? Now dey got you checkin' out my Kimble. What dey tell you 'bout 'im, ey? Dey tell you what a bad boy 'e is?" He said this in such a way that she knew being a bad boy was just fine with him, preferable actually to the stiff Inner Circle.

She gestured at the file paused on her computer. It had stopped on a frame showing Kimble's beaming smile. "He likes you."

Remy shrugged and ran a hand through his hair, showing off. "Dat's 'cause I'm too cool. 'E know class when he see it."

"I'll bet. Logan said he was bisexual. You and him ever...you know?"

Remy laughed heartily, not the least bit put off by the question. She couldn't help but laugh a little herself at the sound. It was playful, full of fun and passion and she loved the way his whole body shook with it. It was a trait both he and Kimble seemed to share.

"Oh, you real smooth, chere. You all right...you all right." He wiped at his eyes and then turned serious. "Who tol' you 'e was bisexual, eh? Dat fool Logan? Bet he tol' you all kinda fine stories 'bout 'ow Kimble couldn' control his'self. Kimble jus' love to fuck, eh? Too bad ol' Wolvie never saw past de outside of Kimble. You really wanna know why de Kimble couldn't hang up here wit de great an' wonderful, perfect little X-men?" He reached into one of his deep pockets and tossed her a CD in a slim black case. "You be careful now, you didn' get dat from me."

"What's this?"

"De truth. You see 'im for real, you'll understand everyt'ing."

"You going to stay with me while I watch this? I might have some questions."

"Gambit seen dat already. He knows what's dere. You look wit your eyes, look wit your heart, you'll see what you need, bien?" He grinned at her flirtatiously and walked away, blending into the darkness of the hallway as if he hadn't really been there at all.

Karen grinned, shaking her head, and turned back to her computer. It hadn't failed to amaze her yet, all the posturing going on this house. First Logan with his big bruiser image, now Gambit as the mysterious thief in the night. Oh, yes. It was going to be so much fun living here.

Karen put the disc in her computer. Remy had recovered the Danger Room file of Kimble playing around with the Jean hologram and had just given her a copy of it. Karen was happy to have this second glimpse of Kimble, she'd never gotten a chance to meet him and it was helpful to have as many chances as she could to put a face to the name. As she watched, she found it interesting that first hologram file Kimble called up was Remy's. She watched how tenderly Kimble kissed him and knew what that was all about. Kimble had asked and Remy had respectfully declined.

Kimble moved onto the Jean hologram and she now knew what Remy was saying. Kimble was frisky, very open minded in his options. He looked at Jean with the same amount of interest as he had Remy. Karen chuckled as she watched Kimble fool around with this ersatz Jean Grey. Every man's dream. A fantasy girl that did what ever he wanted. According to some of the paperwork Henry had given her, that's what Kimble was supposed to be only he was more sentient than the Siskans normally wanted in a hologram. Funny now how Kimble was seeking the same thing here. He must be awful lonely, to want to use a hologram like that. She recalled the notation about Kimble having been mishandled and wondered if it would come into play here.

The Jean hologram wasn't co-operating. Kimble had gotten her down to the floor and ripped off her clothes. Even though Kimble had snuck in here for his own gratification, Kimble still touched this artificial woman with real care and affection. Interesting.

Karen jumped in her chair when the hologram suddenly changed. Kimble leapt back and she saw his terror. She watched in horror as Kimble tried to flee. She didn't understand why he kept flying into the walls until she remembered that he supposedly knew how to phase. It wasn't working now. It also hadn't escaped her notice that it sounded like Kimble was talking to someone in his panic but he'd supposedly been alone.

Karen was stunned at the ferocity of Wolverine's attack. She had been told Logan had claws and was a savage fighter. It hadn't prepared her for what she was seeing. Now she was seeing him at his worst, in full berserker mode. A snarling, bristling killing machine, hell bent on destroying the target. It was horrifying and made her seriously consider her attraction to the man. It was so much like the stories she'd heard about Sabretooth. How would she fare in an argument with this guy? Did he lash out at others like this frequently? She hoped not. He had seemed passive enough the few times they had spoken. Kimble had her full sympathy now as she watched how well this simulation hunted Kimble down with relentless fury.

She started to get an idea. Kimble hadn't expected this. Someone else had deliberately changed the hologram, setting it to attack him on purpose. She'd been told Kimble was a troublemaker, but what she saw earlier she now recognized as a call for help. Kimble was having trouble integrating and the only one helping him was Remy. Supposedly Remy had even snuck him off the grounds, taking Kimble to get laid in an effort to calm him down. Probably as an apology for refusing him, if she had to guess. That's not exactly what Henry had put down in the notes, but that's what he meant. Remy wasn't supposed to do that and had been punished somehow.

Now, in the file, someone was voicing their disapproval of Kimble's flirtatious and playful nature. There were no notes on this encounter, only a vague reference to a Danger Room mishap. Henry hadn't been fully informed, someone had kept this from him. Kimble had stayed overnight in the infirmary, recovering from the shock. He wasn't quite the same after. There was no mention of who had done this to him. She speculated it must be someone who knew him well, they chose the one person who clearly terrified him most. Kimble had a fear of Logan and now someone had used that fear to make things worse.

Kimble screamed in terror and tacked the artificial Wolverine against the wall. Karen couldn't help but shiver at his form of self defense. She had to keep reminding herself that the hologram of Wolverine wasn't real. Kimble's terror was, though, and she could see him start to break down and go into shock. The doors to the room finally opened. Karen watched as Remy didn't hesitate to come to Kimble's aid. Logan did not and didn't even seem fazed at what Kimble had done. He growled his sharp command to the computer and the file ended.

Karen played the file back a few times then paused it on a view of Kimble kissing Remy. She couldn't help but see the love that was there. It touched her. She recalled the way Remy had laughed at her question. She wondered if Gambit regretted his decision to turn Kimble down and if he'd already given himself to Kimble. There was something there in his eyes. No, she decided. If he had, Kimble would have stayed. Perhaps what she saw was Gambit feeling somehow responsible by refusing him. She'd love to talk to him about it, but she could already see he was someone who kept his secrets. Men were so silly. They never wanted to admit they had feelings and always got squeamish about sex. Not that it stopped them from doing it, she laughed. Maybe she could draw some more details out of Remy given enough time.

She found Gambit intriguing and decided to pull up his personnel file. Henry had given her access to some of the files on his Mainframe. It made for some interesting reading. His powers didn't interest her so much as his past crime and his once being booted off the team. The Morlock Massacre wasn't fully detailed, nor was his involvement. All that was mentioned was that Remy was responsible for bringing the killers down there, something he had never explained the reason for. Gambit was never going to be an Inner Circle associate, neither would Kimble. Two peas in a pod, these. Both fun loving, playful, flirtatious (or obnoxious depending on your point of view). It was easy to see why they would become friends. When one is an outcast, there was safety in numbers.


	6. Chapter 6

(Six)

Over the next couple of days with the Kings, Kimble did his best to try and fit in. The group conducted itself in a rigid military style that Kimble simply had a hard time wrapping his brain around. Here Kimble was expected to attend classes wether he liked them or not. If he didn't participate, he was criticized. He had to wear the uniform and appear on time. He was still not allowed near a phone, but was kept so busy, he wouldn't have had much time for it anyway. He had classes, classes and more classes. There were academics, Math and English, which bored him to tears, and the political classes which horrified him with their constant display of carnage. There were photos of the camps and worse, video clips and movies. They made him think of the Dognan pens and the misery Fallen had suffered there. He just didn't want to think about it at all.

The point of all this training of course was to prepare teams for Cameron's covert activities although that wasn't expressly said. The idea of going out there and doing things for the mutant cause was stressed and highly praised. Any time the Freedom Kings pulled off some amazing caper, it was spread around quickly and glorified, echoing with promises of glory. Most of the people here were young and had ben left on their own, here there was a strong sense of family and it was with this that Cameron Bishop bound all that promising talent to his side.

There were some classes Kimble did like. He had flight class and clinics for telekinetics. He also had regular workouts with Kyle's team in the gym. This was to build unity on the team and help them work together as a unit. Normally someone as green as Kimble would never be added to such a team, but this time it was under Cameron's orders. Kimble was getting a crash course so that he would deployed with the team that much sooner.

Today they were running an obstacle course in the huge gymnasium. The course was very physical and they were told not to use their powers, the idea was that they should be able to handle themselves without them. Kimble loved his body and what he could do with it, so he enjoyed this very much. They worked their way through the course easily enough until they came to a big jump. They were going to have to use a rope to swing across and scramble up the other side. Leon looked back at Kimble with a nasty smile. "Who ever doesn't make it across has to fuck Gail!" he joked.

Gail laughed a little, but her eyes were mad.

"You're too bad, Leon," Michael said with disdain, not really approving of the comment. He grabbed the rope and leapt, making the distance easily.

Kimble felt sorry for Gail so he grinned at her with his ususal charm and said, "Sounds like a win/win situation ta me."

Leon laughed cruelly and sneered. "I suppose it would be if you don't mind being skinned alive. Her scales can rip your skin off."

Kimble looked back at Gail and winked, grinning even wider. "I just loves a challenge."

Gail laughed and gave him a shove. "Well, go on, then."

Kimble took his turn and missed. It wasn't on purpose although the guys teased him about it. He caught the edge and scrabbled madly with his toe claws, but couldn't pull himself up. He fell and landed with a thud on the mat, laughing. Oh, well. He watched as Gail easily jumped across over him. She looked back at him and teased with a wink, "Hope you fuck better than you jump!"

He grinned at the challenge, seeing this as just another form of play. He had grown quite fond of his new roommate and made it quite clear he had no desire to leave for another room. She seemed to welcome his company and they had become fast friends. She helped him out a lot, especially with his school work. It wasn't that he didn't get it, he was really quite smart, he just struggled with his attention span. She made work time fun. He knew she was just joking around about the sex, he sensed from her already she had never been with a man. It puzzled him, she was no child. He guessed it was her mutation. Well, there were ways around that if one were clever enough.

Kyle did not teach this class, that had been left to another. The irate instructor came over and shouted. "You there! Kimble! Get your ass moving! This isn't nap time, boy!"

Kimble got up, grumbling, his good mood dissipating quickly. He was too slow, he wasn't quite good enough. Hell, he just didn't give a shit, really. He heard these words all day long. They were so serious here and he didn't like it. He wanted to play, but it wasn't going over any better here than it had at Xavier's.

Kimble used his power to jump back up to the top, bringing another round of complaints from the teacher, but he didn't care. He tuned the man out and caught up to Gail, coming up quickly behind her and making her laugh. He whispered jokes in her ear, playing around and was happy to see her smile. She had a nice smile, he thought. Her teeth didn't frighten him, they were a part of her and he just didn't care about them at all.

"You bad boy!" she hissed playfully. "You get in so much trouble!"

He just laughed and played around some more. He managed the rest of the course without incident and was happy when he saw Kyle come walking into the gym, he was here for Kimble's flying lesson. This was the one area that Kimble took very seriously. He scampered over and Kyle couldn't help but laugh at Kimble's enthusiasm.

They walked over to a special area set up for flyers. This was an areal obstacle course with hoops and bars to weave around. It taught control and cornering. The trick was to see how fast you could fly the course without crashing or knocking all of the hoops down. Kimble was learning quickly and went right to it. They both vaulted into the air and ran the course. Kimble flew through the hoops and bars quickly and easily, remembering well the lessons Kyle had taught him. He was fast and nimble, acrobatic as he moved through the air. They played tag and Kimble had quite the blast.

Kyle enjoyed these sessions, too. Mostly because it was one area where Kimble truly applied himself. He was impressed at the speed at which Kimble learned when it was something he cared about. Kimble could doge and twist at impossible angles to make the turns, making it clear he was no ordinary creature. He had no real bones and could flex and contort his body to gain precious extra seconds if they tried to race. Kyle was left in the dust, laughing and shaking his head in wonder.

He was aware that Kimble was struggling with the other courses, his biggest foe being boredom and an aversion to violence. This was puzzling. If Kimble was going to be some kind of protector, that was a real problem. Can't have your heroes go squeamish on you --- tossing your cookies or bawling your eyes out was definitely not a good way to make a good first impression on your opponent.

Kimble laughed and came up behind Kyle, lightly touching him on the shoulders with his hands. Kimble always did this and it took some getting used to. Kimble wasn't being pushy here, he was just being affectionate, something that came out easily when he was happy or playing around. Kimble liked to touch, to feel. He was very demonstrative in his affection and loved to play around. Kyle had always been a serious man and a little closed off so this was a bit odd to him. Kimble was getting him to relax some, he found himself laughing a lot more than he used to, especially after a fun session like this.

They landed and Kyle toweled off. He was drenched in sweat, but Kimble wasn't even winded. Man, he was getting old. "So, Kim. How's it going? You settling in?"

"Guess so. Gail's real nice."

Kyle grunted with a smile. It hadn't taken long for the place to buzz about how well those two had hit it off. "And the classes?"

Kimble just shrugged and looked away. They were horrible, but he didn't want to talk about it. It seemed like no one understood how boring and useless they were. "S' all right, I guess. Kin I run the course again?"

"Sure, Knock yourself out."

He watched as Kimble ran and took off. He really had improved quickly. He could fly unaided through the course and was almost ready for tactics and evasion, both combat courses. This was assuming he didn't chill out on those as well. Kimble had also done well on shield making. He was adept at controlling the size and thickness of shields, something that was very difficult to do. His progress was uncanny and Kyle figured there had to be some kind of motivating factor behind that, one that wasn't too difficult to figure out looking at how Kimble's eyes were always on Gail when they were together.

The one thing Kyle had avoided was the making of and use of spikes. That one was simply too dangerous. It would be a while before that came up. So far, Kimble hadn't asked about it.

Kimble had also given up on the phone. He no longer asked about it, learning quickly that he would be persuaded to do something else instead. He visited the Club's many rooms, but still seemed kind of lost or undecided. Kyle knew it was just a matter of time before he settled in all the way. He would get into the rest of the classes, too, once he got his head together.

The best thing to happen to Kimble was having Gail as his roommate. She had taken the young pilot under her wing and was taking care of him quite nicely. It certainly made it easier for Kyle. He hated to babysit and she had taken over for him with ease. Soon enough, Kimble would forget about the places he'd been to before and become one of them.

--------------------------------

Kimble lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was so bored here. He found the academic classes meaningless and wanted only to have a little fun. This place wasn't what he expected. Yes, he could romp around in the Club, but it was quickly losing its appeal. He was only dimly becoming aware that he was enjoying himself far more in his quarters with Gail than he was out there with strangers.

The door opened and Gail stomped in, her face tense and angry.

Kimble rolled over to look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just the boys being brats. Sometimes I really hate them!"

"They still pickin' on ya?"

"Of course," she snapped. Just because they all wore the same uniform didn't mean a certain amount of teasing didn't go on. Poor ugly Gail got more than her share. She flopped down on her bed and clicked on the radio, surfing until she found a Rolling Stones song she liked. She sighed, her back to Kimble.

He felt bad for her, knowing her pain all too well himself. He got up and sat next to her. He gently stroked her shoulder, forming a light telekinetic shield around his hand so her scales wouldn't shred his skin. He was enjoying himself in the rooms of the Club, but something was lacking. He wanted the friendship he had with Remy and the closest he had come to that was Gail. He knew she wanted and needed to be touched in a very real way and so had come up with this idea to help her. He hoped that if he could get her to loosen up a little, they would become even closer as friends.

She turned to face him, startled. "What are you doing?"

"Touchin' ya. Ya feels bad an' I don' like it."

"No, how can you touch me? No one else can."

Kimble shrugged casually. " 'S easy, really. I jus' made a shield, that's all."

"No one can do that."

"No. Sounds more like no one else ever tried."

"You did," she said softly.

"That's cuz I hates ta see you in pain. I knows what it's like when no one likes ya. It sucks."

"Yes it does," she agreed, closing her eyes and enjoying the play of his hand on her skin.

"You wants ta dance?"

"Um, I don't know how," she said, feeling awkward.

"I kin teach ya. It's lots more fun than runnin' obstacle courses, that's fer shure."

He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. He surprised her again by putting an arm around her waist and pulling her close. He was bare chested as always, but protected himself the same way he had covered his hands. The shield was paper thin and flexible, it didn't stop her from feeling the heat of his body. She relaxed against him and just shuffled her feet, letting him lead her. He lay her head down on his shoulder and embraced her, giving her a sense of closeness she hadn't felt since her mutation had kicked into high gear and made her deadly. He chuckled softly when he felt her happiness and hummed along with the song, petting her hair and loving this moment.

"You're nicer than every one else," she whispered softly.

"That's cuz I'm Kimble."

She grunted a laugh. "I'm glad you're my roommate."

"Me, too."

They danced for a while and then she left him to get some junk food from the kitchen. She lit some candles and they sat on the floor, laughing and telling silly stories about their lives. They stayed up late and played around, not caring about the next day's classes. Kimble enjoyed every moment and started to feel better about this place. Maybe he had found a friend here after all.

The two of them grew even closer as the next couple of days passed. They were always together. Kimble daydreamed in class, not even paying attention. He was flunking out according to the teachers, underachieving deliberately, but he just didn't care. Even comments from Kyle failed to raise his interest in anything other than flying or exploring his powers. He was always thinking about Gail and new ways to make her laugh, make her happy. The classes with Kyle on shield making had given him some ideas and he was impatient to put them to use.

The next night, when he and Gail were once again surrounded by candles and Dorito chips, he tried to kiss her. The moment was awkward, the magic almost lost because her teeth were simply too jagged for him to get it right. She pulled away from him, upset at her ugly face, but he wouldn't let her go. He grabbed at her and slid a hand up her shirt, getting her attention another way.

"Stop!" she said, almost crying.

He could feel the heat of her body and read her shine. It was the last thing she wanted. "Not a chance," he growled and lay over her, making her gasp and shake with arousal.

"You'll get hurt."

Kimble used a hand to brush her hair back from her eyes and looked at her deeply, willing her to understand his motivations. "I toldja I loves a challenge. I meant it. You wants me, I'll makes it happen. I cain't make ya pregnant, I cain't makes ya sick from fuckin', none of that. All I kin do is make ya shakes and shivers like nuthin' else. I kin do it. I wants ta do it. I wants ta hear ya all happy an' cryin' out from me luvin' ya. Just say yes, baby doll. Yer my friend an' I won't hurts you, I promise."

She trembled below him. "All right."

He said he could make it happen, and he did. He shielded as much of his skin as he had to and did his best. He took his time in exploring her, he wanted to touch her all over and make sure she was really ready for him to do this. She was not his first virgin by far and he employed his empathy to stay in tune to her, falling back on skills he had learned long ago in another place. If he sensed her fear, he would back off. It didn't happen. He couldn't stop the sly smile of satisfaction when he discovered there were some places she didn't have scales. They seemed to have mysteriously stopped just around her pubic line, how convenient. He slipped a finger or two inside of her and she shook, eager for him now.

"Well, what do ya know 'bout that? I thoughts ya said ya had scales all over, darlin'. Ya gots no scales down here," he teased.

She laughed in spite of her nervousness. This was all so new to her, things she had only read about or heard other people doing. Still, she was having a blast. "Guess I was wrong."

"You ever been kissed down there?" he asked with a mischievous smile and cocked his eyebrow at her invitingly.

"Why would anyone kiss me there?" she asked, naive.

He just laughed and showed her why.

Afterwards, when he had showed her that and so much more, Gail lay on her bed, Kimble wrapped up tightly around her. He had made her feel things she hadn't thought possible. He was like a gift from Heaven, a treasure. Of all the men she had ever known, he was the first to want to do this for her. Not even Kyle had and now she realized he probably had been capable of this all along. She was no longer a virgin, something she had never thought would happen. Her biggest fear had always been that she would be raped for her first time, at least her mutation had kept that from happening to her. This was all together different. It hadn't hurt at all and was just as marvelous as he had promised. She couldn't wait for him to love her again.

She petted Kimble's head gently and heard him growl softly with happiness even though he wasn't really awake anymore. He had pleased her by making love to her then did something more wonderful than that by simply curling up in bed with her like this. His head lay on her green, sparkling breasts, one hand on her belly, twitching slightly as he dreamed. Even in sleep, he was still protected by a mental shield, his time spent on developing his powers not gone to waste. He was warm and comfortable, drunk on her vibrations of love and joy, thrilled that he'd made her as happy as he hoped he could. She could sense this from him, it was in the smile that still danced across his lips and the low growl that had leaked from him, almost like a purr.

Gail felt a small trickle of fear as she realized that she might be falling in love with him. What if he didn't want her? She knew he used the rooms in the Club -- all of them. Well, not the ones where people came out all whipped and bruised, but maybe had just hadn't gotten around to those yet. Would she be enough to satisfy him? To truly love him, she might have to give him some freedom to roam a bit. In her present state of mind, she almost thought it might be worth it just to keep him here with her.

He seemed to sense her thoughts and shifted slightly, holding onto her even more tightly. He didn't wake, but rubbed his cheek against her and sent her a vibration of reassurance she could feel. She wasn't sure what it meant, how he had made her feel it, but she relaxed and closed her eyes, ready for sleep herself now. Tomorrow would wait. All she wanted now was him next to her.


	7. Chapter 7

(Seven)

Time passed quickly by with little change in Kimble's situation. One week bled into two and Gambit was fit to lose his mind. They had spent countless hours gaining little or no knowledge of Kimble's whereabouts, the Siskan was never once spotted outside of the building for them to nab him. At the same time, Kennedy saw nothing of Kimble at all in Cameron's public lower levels, it was like the pilot was a ghost. Kimble hadn't once tried to call and Remy just knew he must have been isolated somehow, he found it hard to believe Kimble would willingly walk away without trying to contact either him or Fallen. His greatest fear was that Kimble's memory had been somehow damaged during the melting and maybe he simply didn't remember the X-men at all. It didn't go along with what Anya had said, but that didn't mean it didn't happen. Gambit was willing to hang loose until Anya's two weeks passed and not panic. After that, he was going in no matter what the Professor or anyone else thought about it.

Remy's forays into the Morlock tunnels to find Jael's hideout were a wasted effort. Well, that wasn't exactly true. They now had a detailed map of the area, something Charles had always wanted, but never got around to doing. The Professor watched as Gambit walked silently into his office and dropped off the revised and updated map without saying a word. He knew why Gambit had gone and the pain in the eyes of his thief was enough for him to know the boy was suffering.

The Professor was busy, organizing his teams. Like Gambit, he was aware they were running out of time. If they were going by Anya's prediction, they now had only two days. Unlike Gambit, Charles, he wasn't so foolish as to go charging into Cameron's hideout -- that man's lair had an unknown number of powerful mutants ready to defend him, it was too big of risk to take with so little information. Charles figured that if Kimble was going to a warehouse, they would set up there. He was already organizing his teams, who would go where.

It troubled the Professor not to include Logan in the teams, he was a core member and always valuable, but Anya had made it clear he shouldn't be included. The Professor wanted to have all his bases covered and was taking no chances. It didn't escape his notice that the day Anya predicted Kimble would show up was the Fourth of July. There was sure to be lots of people around and fireworks going off all around. Perhaps this could be used to help cover their operation of things got too rowdy. He just prayed things wouldn't get too out of hand.

Fallen was quiet and sad these days, saying little as she continued work on Seth's codes. She applied herself to this end with silent desperation, fearing that she would never have Seth free from the system. Without Kimble as her go between, she felt isolated form Seth and it was breaking her heart. She didn't drop her drug use as Remy had suggested, but wasn't so stoned she couldn't work her shift on the rooftop observation of Cameron's building. Logan would growl at her with disapproval, but she just looked away not wanting to argue.

The time passed for Kimble as well. He wasn't settling in as well as Cameron had hoped, growing progressively worse over time as he found new ways to slack off. Kimble had quickly lost whatever residual interest he had in the academic classes, the pictures of dead Jews and mutilated mutants was more than he could bear. He also avoided Joshua whenever the albino came near, not wanting to hear about what a Channeler was or learning about swords. The thought of it filled him with a sick loathing it would take a miracle to overcome.

Having found a new source of entertainment, Kimble skipped class as much as possible and dragged Gail off with him. He had liberated her sexually and it wasn't difficult to distract her, she was a new person and blossoming under his care. Oh, what fun they were having. They snuck off everywhere, finding new places to hide off in. Broom closets, empty class rooms, other people's dorm rooms. Nowhere was safe from their playful invasions. They romped and played and romped some more. Kimble taught Gail a great many things and she was an eager student. No charm power was needed here, Gail followed him willingly. He made her feel loved and wanted. He made her feel pretty, something no one else had ever been able to do. It was working, she carried herself with a new grace and self confidence her fighting skills had been unable to give her. She was making up for lost time quickly, becoming quite the bold and adventurous lover.

While Kyle was happy for Gail, he was furious at Kimble's shameful behavior. He yelled at the pilot about missing his classes but was ignored. All of Kimble's teachers complained but Kimble just wasn't interested, he just didn't see what the big deal was or why he was even required to lean these horrible or boring lessons. In a bid to force the Siskan back into compliance, Kyle threatened to cancel the flying classes with him. All it did was make sure Kimble showed up for the classes he skipped. He arrived on time, but would sit at his desk and lay his head back with his eyes closed, giving up all pretense of caring.

At least the flying lessons were going well. Kimble had accepted the Evasion and Tactic class, seeing it more as playing games than actual fighting. They really did play a lot of fooling about in the class, playing chasing games and tag. It was lighthearted way of teaching serious things and was a hit with the whole group, not just Kimble. In this special class, Kimble was learning to evade an areal predator and how to sneak up into high, out of the way places. Kimble soaked it all up eagerly and was soon one of the best students in the class.

It wasn't all he was learning. Kimble was told repeatedly not to make the spikes in front of the others, but Kyle had found evidence that the pilot was sneaking off at night and practicing that as well. Kimble had stolen some Marksman's papers from Michael for shooting practice and Kyle found them scored with huge holes from spikes being tossed through. Kimble's aim was improving rapidly. Kyle confronted Kimble with it, countering that if he was so eager to learn a weapon, he should take up sword practice with Joshua. Kimble just laughed at him and adamantly refused as before. For whatever reason, Kimble didn't see them as the same thing.

It wasn't Kimble really. It was Zander who was teaching himself the spikes. Kimble was giving him more and more freedom when it came to his powers. Kimble would sit back and cruise while Zander fooled around and worked it all out, improving their skill with each new practice session. Whatever Zander learned, Kimble picked up just as quickly. All he had to do was access the files Zander made and memorize it all. Zander saw the Marksman's papers and stole them. Zander was the one who prompted them to sneak off and start working with the spikes, unsatisfied with Kyle's refusals. They would learn one way or the other. He was just as stubborn as Kimble when it came to things he wanted. Zander was only concerned with the weapons they could create themselves, anything else just didn't interest him. He was taking his training one step at a time. He wanted to learn it all, sure, but not all at once. They had only been here just a few days. He had no intention of letting Kimble screw this up for him, so what was the big deal if he waited on the swords and guns?

Kyle vented his frustration, but seemed to get nowhere. Making matters worse was Gail's behavior, too. Kyle was happy Gail and Kimble were getting along so well, but it was turning out to be a real problem. Now she was slacking off as well. Their little love affair was getting out of hand and Cameron demanded that Kyle take care of it. Kyle had no choice but to obey. He called Kimble into one of the offices that night for yet another chewing out.

Kimble cruised in smoothly, his teasing smile in place and his eyes shining. He had just left Gail after another nice romp and was a little buzzed from the sex. She matched him in endurance and he was finding her both a thrill and a challenge. He couldn't wait to have her again, she was so amazing. His spirits were soaring. He sat where Kyle told him to and put his feet up.

Kyle got right to the point. "I'm glad you and Gail are getting along so well, but your performance lately in class is inexcusable."

"Yer classes suck. I don' wants ta hear no more about hatin' an' killin'. I'm sick of it!" Kimble snapped arrogantly. He was in no mood for this, Kyle was spoiling his high.

"It's a fact of life. You promised to do as we asked. You're not holding up your end of the deal."

"You didn't say nuthin' 'bout havin' ta be so bored alla the time. You said we wuz gonna work on my powers. I don't want no stupid classes on hatin' an' I don't want no guns. It sucks!"

Kyle sighed. "You are acting like a child and so will be treated like one. You either show up for class on time tomorrow — and participate — or Gail gets a new roommate. That's final."

"You ain't separatin' us," Kimble said defiantly, standing up. "We ain't no kids!"

"Coulda fooled me, the way you've been acting. There are things you have to learn. Gail has responsibilities, too. Time to grow up."

Kimble was about to snarl something else but was interrupted from within. _Hold up there, buddy. _Zander said, grabbing his attention. _Play time's over, Kim. This guy is serious. _

"So what?" Kimble grumbled out loud. "I'm serious, too. I likes Gail. Nobody's gonna takes her away from me."

Kyle shook his head in irritation. This was happening more and more as well. Kimble would blank out in the middle of a conversation to listen to one of his two little friends, Zander and Lakotashay. It happened most often when he was stressed out or frustrated as he was now. Cameron had said Kimble was supposedly already like this before he was melted, but Kyle had his doubts. Kimble's condition was worsening, sometimes he spoke for all of them out loud. It was creepy and Kyle hated it. All those voices coming out of the same mouth like a crowded party line, it was sickening and sad. Kimble was seriously ill mentally and Cameron did nothing but sit back and exploit it.

Cameron had learned early on Zander was the one most interested in training. When Kimble got out of hand, Cameron would actually draw Zander out and speak to him, demanding Zander take some control of the Lover and get him back in line. It worked well enough that Kyle found himself doing it himself even though it made him queasy.

"Kimble ---" Kyle started to say, but was cut off.

"Shut up! I kin handles this!" Zander snapped, making Kyle back up a step. "He ain't listenin' ta you nohow."

In spite of his misgivings about allowing it, Kyle had come to appreciate Zander's interventions over time. Zander seemed to understand rules and wanted the most to learn. He worked the hardest at shield making and wanted to learn the weapons, something that increased his value. Knowing this, Kyle now believed that Zander had to be the one sneaking off to learn the spikes, but was more concerned about keeping Kimble on track then punishing Zander for his enthusiasm. Zander seemed to know the things to say to get Kimble to work. Kimble was too light hearted and easily distracted by things like sex and Gail and fooling around. Zander was gruff and angry, but he seemed to be the boss of Kimble. He could get the Lover to listen.

"What?" Kimble whined sharply. "This sucks!"

Zander argued back. "We gots ta learn, gots ta train! I'm sick of yer shit an' I'm sick of havin' ta slap ya back in line. What's it gonna takes ta make ya git yer act straight, huh? If gittin' rid of Gail is the only way ta gits ya ta listen then I'm all for it. Let's do it right now. I kin makes it happen!"

"Easy, Zander," Kyle said. "No need to get all rowdy."

"I ain't gonna hurt nobody, it's just that the boy don't listen!"

"None of yous understands!" Kimble complained, spitting in his rage. "Yer classes is all about people hurtin' themselves an' it makes me all sick inside. Gail makes me fergit all that. She makes all the hurtin' go away. Alls my other friends're gone, you won' ever let me calls them on the phone thoughs I cain't understand why. She's the only thing decent here!" Kimble whimpered and shivered as he started to cry from all the frustration welling up inside of him.

"Stupid crybaby, Lover," Lakotashay said next. "We don' needs no girl nohow. Fuck 'em. Let's just go to the Orange Room. Plenty of good luvin' there."

Kyle shuddered. Kimble's three fractured selves were powerful and distinct, each in their own way. There was Kimble, the good hearted Lover, Zander the Punisher who only wanted to train and learn and this one, Lakotashay, the little monster child. This one Kyle disliked intensely. She was so creepy with her soft child's voice. It did nothing to hide her cunning and manipulative ways. Her voice didn't match this grown man's body and it was disturbing unlike anything Kyle had ever witnessed before. There was cruelty hidden in there although so far she had done nothing violent. It was like a hint of things to come. She was selfish and always driving Kimble away from things he loved. Kyle often heard her trying to get Kimble to leave Gail behind as used goods but Kimble was stubborn. He withheld himself from the Club, wanting only Gail now, until 'Shay drove him to madness with her clamoring for the Orange Room.

Kyle had spent almost two weeks now watching the three of them the bickering with horrified bewilderment. He had never seen anything like this and just didn't know how to deal with it. He almost wished for an X-man or two to show up so he could talk to them and figure out this puzzle. He needed to know how they handled Kimble and where they went wrong. He was floundering on his own.

"I likes Gail an' I don' wants her ta leave," Kimble said softly, ignoring the words of his internal sister. He had gotten better at tuning her out over time.

"Then do as you're told and she can stay," Kyle said firmly, hoping to get the last word in here. "This doesn't have to be as difficult as you're making it."

Kimble nodded, miserable now. He was so sick of those words. He had heard them at Xavier's and he was hearing them again here. His head drooped and his wings slumped, falling back into that posture of aching misery that he seemed unable to escape from. His high was gone, his good spirits evaporating.

He stood up and started to shuffle out. Kyle reached for him but he jerked away with a hiss. "Don't touch us!" 'Shay snarled. "You broked the Lover down good. You gots what ya wanted. Now leaves us alone!"

Kyle recoiled from that hateful voice and let the pilot walk out undisturbed. Kyle was shaking, he just couldn't help it. There was such malice and cruelty there. He feared what would happen if she ever got as much control as Kimble had now. The Lover was dominant, out nighty-five percent of the time. Kyle had no doubt that could change. He covered his face and shook his head. What had he let Cameron involve him in?

--------------------------------

Kimble dragged his feet down the hall with his head low and his wings slumped. He went to his room and found Gail there. He said nothing to her at first, but slowly crawled into her bed and buried himself in her arms. She held him tightly, concerned. She could see he had been crying.

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked.

"Kyle sez we gots ta be good. I gots ta go ta class and do all the crap he sez or he's gonna takes you away from me."

"I'm not going anywhere --- not without a fight anyways," she soothed. "But we have been bad. Let's just chill out for a while. Cam and Kyle will cool off and it'll be all right. Okay?"

Kimble nodded, but he wasn't happy. He snuggled down against her and lay quiet until they fell asleep. He slept restlessly, whimpering, until she woke and calmed him. He pushed against her and she laughed, happy to take him in, and they made love nice and easy. It never failed to make him smile. Afterwards, he would always shower her with vibrations of happiness and love she could physically feel. She had come to enjoy these vibrations he gave off, they were warm and comforting and made her feel valued and important, something she had been sorely lacking. She petted him gently him and this time he fell deeply asleep, forgetting about his pain and the things he must do.


	8. Chapter 8

(Eight)

The next morning, the very day that Anya predicted the X-men might have a chance at snagging their wayward Siskan, Leon was looking for Kimble himself, it was feeding time. He went through the hallway, making his way to Kimble's room quickly. He stopped when Gail suddenly opened the door to their room, surprising him. She was dressed only in a skimpy canvas bathrobe. Gail both intrigued and repulsed Leon at the same time. She had a shapely body but he was frightened by her scales. He wondered if they would cut his bare skin if he lay against her. He looked past her and saw Kimble sprawled on his belly across her bed. It was still early and he hadn't yet gotten up to dress for class. He was naked and unharmed. Guess that answered that question.

Gail saw where Leon was looking. "Morning, rat boy," she teased without humor.

Leon made a face. "How can you let him touch you? Don't you know he's queer? I saw some films Cam made of him from the club. He lets guys...you know...fuck him in the ass!"

Gail just laughed at him. "Poor, Leon. Don't you know? He's an alien. He doesn't have an ass!" She giggled and walked off down the hall towards the small common kitchen that was shared by all the dormers on this level. She was in search of coffee and could care less what Leon was thinking.

Leon snorted in disgust and went into the dorm room. Kimble was almost back asleep, contented from her love and acceptance. They had only finished making love a few minutes ago, a nice way to start the day. He sensed Leon looming above him and opened his eyes. "Hey."

"Hey, yourself. You hungry?"

Kimble grinned. "Shure." He rolled over in anticipation and held out his hands.

Leon looked down on his naked body, his eyes cold and hard. He saw Kimble's perfect physique—the lean, hard muscles, his glowing skin, and hated it. Kimble was everything he wasn't and never would be. "Cover yourself!" Leon hissed.

Kimble did as he was told. He pulled the blanket over his legs, trembling. He could sense Leon's anger painfully but didn't know why Leon was mad at him.

"You want this?" Leon asked, making a small ball of plasma.

"Yes," Kimble answered warily. There was something in Leon's shine, the boy wanted something in return.

"Then say, "I am a pervert, a sexual freak"."

"Why? It ain't true."

"I saw what you do at the club. It ain't natural. You ain't natural."

Kimble cocked his head in confusion. "It's only fuckin', it don' mean nuthin'."

"It's evil to let another man fuck you like that! Now say the words!"

"It ain't evil. It's luvin'. It's good. I kin shows you --"

"You keep away from me!" Leon hissed, charging up his fists and making the plasma ball really large.

Kimble cowered away, fearing its size. He wanted the plasma, yes, but he didn't know if he could survive another big hit like the first time. "S-Sorry, I didn't mean nuthin---"

"Say the words!" Leon demanded again, smiling now that he could see Kimble was cowed.

"I --I'm a pervert. I-I'm a sexual freak," Kimble stammered, shaken.

"Say it like you mean it!"

"I'm a pervert! I'm a sexual freak!"

Kimble gasped sharply in fear as Leon tossed him the ball of plasma. Leon shrank it down at the last moment, sparing him. It came into Kimble and flooded him with its delicious heat. He swallowed it gratefully with his body, but felt some pain as Leon's harsh words came inside with it. Leon's attacks on his sexuality were happening more and more. Combined with Kyle's criticism, it was stressing him out all the more. He began to doubt the lessons Sheyman had taught him about how all consensual sex was good. This kept happening to him, this aversion to his sexual openness. If it was always happening, maybe he was the one who was wrong and not everyone else. Maybe he really was bad. These thoughts were still in his mind, clouding him, and leaving him open to attack as Leon stood over him.

Leon saw Kimble getting high from the plasma and was disgusted. How dare this freak suggest he needed to be shown that the sinful, lustful horror called homosexual love was something to be enjoyed! He saw his perverted uncle's face and let his rage take over. The rape he had suffered at his uncle's hands had been brutal and the man was never punished. Looked like he'd just found someone to take it out on.

Unable to restrain himself, Leon gave Kimble another hit of plasma, overdosing him on purpose. Kimble shivered and moaned, overcome with heat and instantly intoxicated. Leon sneered and punched his helpless prey in the face, sending a fine spray of grey blood from Kimble's nose across the bed. Kimble squealed, but had so much plasma in him, the injury healed itself right away. The blood shimmered and disappeared as if it had never happened.

Kimble moaned and rolled over, holding his hands to his face in agony, the plasma's healing capabilities didn't stop him from feeling the pain. Leon punched him again, this time on his back where his kidneys should have been. Kimble balled up, with a startled grunt, but didn't defend himself. He was high and hopelessly confused, feeling the pain without knowing its source. Leon hit him over and over again until his hands hurt, his rage fueling his frenzy, until he heard the change in the pilot's breathing. It was a sudden reality check and finally forced him to stop. Kimble was gasping now in a sickening wheeze, not really moving, only heaving for air.

Leon saw where Kimble's skin had begun to bruise. Kimble's body was sensitive to many things and showed its damage quickly. The bruises spread rapidly, growing ugly and large. They were black and in the shape of his fists. Leon was frightened now, knowing he couldn't possibly hide this.

He made his hands glow and lay them over Kimble's back where the bruising was the worst, hoping another shot of plasma would make the damage go away. He wasn't prepared for what happened next. He gasped as he was suddenly sucked out of his body and taken to another place. The damage had been severe enough that Kimble's body was trying to take him to the Black Room just as it had gambit that time in the gym. Leon shrieked in horror when he found himself falling backwards through space in an alien place, Kimble's arms wrapped around him in a loving embrace. He wasn't capable of feeling the comfort and love the others had felt here in the freefall of Kimble's mind. He squealed and tried to get away but he was trapped.

"Well, who's this? A stowaway?" he heard a rough voice growl. He looked around him in fear and was startled when he saw a shadowed image of another man falling next to him. Zander had stopped by to check out the intruder. Inside Kimble's mind Zander was no mere voice, he was a powerful spirit and had physical form. Leon saw Zander's shattered mirror face and screamed.

Zander just laughed. "Guess that means we won't be seeing you back here any time soon, ya piece of fuckin' garbage. Best be keepin' yer hands to yerself now, boy. You wake me, I'll rip yer fuckin' heart out!"

Leon screamed again but was greeted only by a tinny mechanical voice. "Unable to make connection."

He woke abruptly back in the real world and fell backwards onto his ass, bewildered. He scrambled away, crab walking until he hit the wall and came back to himself. He was here, he was home. Kimble groaned and shook once before passing out from so much plasma being pumped into him. The damage to his body was gone, the only thing that remained was Leon's terror. Leon was a quick boy and learned his lessons well. "Don't touch Kimble when he's really hurt", that was the lesson here. He scrambled to his feet and fled, hoping that Kimble wouldn't know what was done to him.

---------------------------------------------

Kimble woke when he felt Gail touch him. He was impossibly high, his skin hot and dry. He was achingly thirsty, almost in pain from it. Gail was worried, shaking him. He tried to answer her, but couldn't. She left him and returned with some water, brining a cup to his face. He drank it down greedily, slopping it all over himself. "What happened ta me?" he asked in a daze.

She touched him gently, careful with her hands. "I was going to ask you the same thing, kiddo."

"I-I feel like shit...I'm so high..."

She petted him and he shivered, her touch was irresistible to him in this condition. He reached for her, but fell on top of her instead. His body was beyond his ability to control, the movement sent the room spinning and he was instantly nauseated. He vomited, he couldn't help himself, and Gail scowled when she saw what he sicked up. It was all grey with the thick bands of orange plasma in it. She'd seen this before and understood now what was wrong. Leon had just been here, he must have overdosed Kimble on purpose...but why?

"Do you remember anything?"

"Not really."

He searched inside himself. _Zander?_

_Yeah, kid?_

_What happened?_

_Yer little plasma boy wuz beatin' on ya so I scared him away._

_Why would he do that? He's supposed to be our friend._

_Don' know. Seems ta me yer so called friend ain't too cool with ya screwin' around._ _Don' think he's had the right proper pleasure of sucking on a nice fat dick. Poor boy, he mighta found it to his liking._

_Yer mean, Zander. Cam said he got raped. Cain't think of nuthin' worse._

_Too bad he's takin' it out on us. Maybe we outta teach the boy a lesson._

_Maybe we should leave. This place is really startin' ta suck anyhow. We could go back home, take Gail with us._

_Don' think she's gonna go. Yer gonna hafta decide. Put up with Leon poundin' on ya, defend yerself an' beat him up back, or bail._ _Best git thinkin' on it, Leon cain't be trusted. Don' know what he'll do next._

"Kimble? You okay?" Gail asked, spooked by his quiet. She had seen him blank out before like this and it always made her nervous. She was aware of his fragmentation, she was too close to him not to be, but it never really came out around her often. She made Kimble too happy.

"Yeah, still a little high, is all."

"I'm going to get Kyle, okay? You're sick."

"All right..." he slurred and closed his eyes.

She left him and a few minutes later, he heard Kyle's voice close by. He could hear them talking but not what they were saying. He felt it when Gail came back, though. She eased him down into a comfortable position and wrapped around him. He was hot to the touch, but her scales gave her some protection.She petted him and he drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her.

He slept most of the day, coming in and out. Sometimes Gail was there, sometimes she was gone. His whole body was numb and he could do little more than lay quiet and dream. He could hear Zander whispering to him, offering reassurance that he was going to be okay. They would settle this score and Leon was toast.

It was late when Kimble finally snapped out of his delirium. He was alone and could tell by the light from the window it was almost dark. He got up drunkenly and staggered to the shower. The water revived him and he felt almost human now. He let the water pour over him as his mind went to work.

_I hafta git outta here. Gonna take Gail with me._

_Fergit it, kid. We're stayin'. I got Leon's number, don't you worry. That little shit is mine,_ Zander said forcefully. He wasn't going to let this go.

Kimble sighed. _All right. We'll play it your way, but it's gotta git better'n this. I'm sick of this place already._

He came out of the bathroom, squeaky clean and shiny and saw Gail waiting for him. Her presence made him smile, he just couldn't help it. "Hey, Gail."

"You look better. How do you feel?"

"Still a little fuzzy, but I'll be all right."

"Kyle was worried about you. He said I have to take extra special care of you tonight."

Kimble grinned, liking the sound of that. "Whatcha gots in mind, baby doll?"

"There's fireworks tonight. I made a deal with Barney. I paid him fifty bucks to let us up onto the roof to watch."

"We...we kin goes outside?" It would be the first time since he'd been taken here.

"Yes." She grabbed his hand and tugged on him. "Let's go!"


	9. Chapter 9

(Nine)

Kimble and Gail ran out onto the roof, laughing gaily. They were both quite drunk and silly now. Kimble's bad feelings had washed away as they chased each other about and he was happy now, pleased to be outside and with his new lover. It was at least an hour before the fireworks were supposed to start and the roof was empty, they had it all to themselves. Kimble snatched at Gail and spun her around, wanting to kiss her but forgetting that he couldn't. Her teeth simply made that impossible. Her smile faltered a bit when he hesitated, but he made up for it by rubbing his cheek against hers and licking her neck. She shivered from his caress and felt it when he activated the shield around his body. She knew it meant he wanted to make love to her again and she was thrilled beyond measure to have finally found someone who actually wanted her.

Kimble wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off her feet, making her laugh. He did a nice slow barrel roll in the air, doing an aerial dance with her as he ran his hands over her playfully. They drifted slowly to the ground in one of the dark corners by the retaining wall. This area was blocked off from anyone coming up the stairs and was relatively private. Kimble went to work, stripping away her clothes and taking her right out in the open, his desire for her making him reckless.

Gail laughed and laughed, never feeling more alive than she was at that moment.

-----------------------------

"What are they doing?" Cyclops complained. He was so bored.

Jean laughed. "Dancing. Has it really been that long, Lover? We need to get out more."

The two of them were perched on the roof across from Cameron's building, keeping watch. Anya had predicted that Kimble would be seen this night and the X-men wanted to be prepared. All the members of the Blue squad had been called out for duty. One half was out here to watch the roof top. Jean and Scott were here with Bobby on one roof, Nightcrawler and Angel were an another lower roof, hoping to get an idea of what might be going on inside. Both teams would report to remaining team members at the Dockside warehouse if anything happened – Storm, Rogue and Gambit were there waiting. Jean and Scott hadn't expected to see anything out here so soon, much less Kimble romping around with a girl more lizard than man.

Scott Summers was a quiet, serious man. He was really quite sensitive and emotional, but like Logan, had trained himself to a stony resolve. Cyclops' mutation demanded control, one wrong move and his powerful eye beams could blow a hole in a mountain. The glasses he wore allowed for control of those beams, he could change the size of the blast with a small click of a switch. It didn't free him from always having to be careful. His biggest fear was a loss of control that resulted in a death. So far it hadn't happened, but he refused to let his guard down. Jean was free spirited and had gone a long way towards lightening him up, but he was still very stern and rule abiding. It was easy for him to lose himself in the role of group leader and forget that some very real human beings were revolving around outside that world. Seeing Kimble romp with Gail had at once filled Cyclops with a sense of anger and dread. Kimble must be using her, it was all he had ever seen Kimble do. It was going to be difficult to get to him without hurting her.

"Why is he with her?" Bobby asked with false dismay. He was bored as well and only wanted to get out of here. This had been a pretty dull job since the first minute they had arrived and Kimble's little show had provided him with some entertainment. "I know he's desperate, but Jeez! She's not much to look at." He gave a mock shiver at the thought. He made gagging noises when he saw Kimble start to strip the girl down, Kimble was playing and making a game of it.

Jean was quiet at first as she dismissed Bobby's antics for the signs of his boredom they were, but finally spoke in a serious manner. She had reached out with her power the first moment she saw Gail and tried to make a link with the girl to figure out what Kimble's intentions were. She couldn't read Kimble, but she could tap into the mind of his companion without being detected. She was surprised by what she found. Surprised and happy. "She's in love with him. They all hate her but him. They think she's ugly, but he treats her like a queen." Her voice was dreamy with a female's sense of the romantic.

Scott and Bobby looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

Jean ignored them, feeling for the first time some appreciation of what Remy found so noble in this pilot. Kimble loved everybody --- the beautiful, the fat, and the ugly. None of that was important to him, all he cared about was the person within. She remembered that first time he had reached out to her with his power. He was using it with Gail, but now she realized that the power was not a trap or lure, but an extension of what he was really feeling. Kimble had reached out to her that first day, not to sucker her in, but as a curious creature appreciating her as a living thing. She felt kind of bad now, knowing Kimble had been so misjudged.

"He's using his charm power on her, isn't he?" Scott asked, interrupting her thoughts. After Kimble had fumbled so badly with Bobby and Holly, he thought Kimble only capable of treachery. "The poor girl. He's using her."

"No, he's not. Their feelings are legitimate," Jean insisted. She hated using her telepathy to spy on the couple like this, but now felt it was justified if she could make Scott understand Kimble wasn't the threat he believed him to be. "He's made a big difference in her life. She loves him."

"Then that makes things worse. He won't want to leave her," Scott said, understanding what Jean was trying to say. He had to think of the tactics of this, this operation had just become more difficult.

"Let's offer to take her with us," Jean suggested, knowing what Scott was thinking. She could do this without the telepathy, they had grown so close.

"Looks like he's got other plans for the moment. Let's wait until he's done," Bobby said next, still making playful gagging noises. "That's one girl I don't want to see naked!"

"You are so pathetic," Jean complained affectionately. She knew Bobby was just fooling around because he was bored. He was generally very accepting of new people and was merely being playful to pass the time.

"What are we doing, boss?" came a soft squawk from the radio on Scott's shoulder. It was Warren who was located across from them with Kurt. Warren's rooftop was slightly lower so he had no idea what Kimble was up to. The last thing he had heard was Scott telling them to hold when Kimble had first appeared. Angel wanted an update.

"He's got some company. We'll give him another minute or two," Cyclops replied to his teammate, squashing down his irritation. Kimble's loveplay was more than he wanted to see. Everything had its place, and making love in any form did not belong outside where it could be seen. It was sacred and private, not something to be held out on display. He closed his eyes in exasperation when Kimble squirmed out of his own clothes, exposing himself. Man, he hoped this wasn't going to take too long.

-----------------------------

"You want me to take 'em now, boss?" Davis asked, looking at Creed with a wicked sneer. He was chewing gum and popping bubbles as he lay with his high powered, long ranged rifle on a stand and pointed directly where Kimble and Gail were having their little rooftop romp. The gun had been outfitted with a silencer, Davis' pride and joy.

Davis was a long standing member of Sabretooth's little gang of merry men. Half of that gang was now located diagonally from where both rooftop teams of X-men were situated, each party unaware the other was there. Sabretooth had taken every precaution, his team was large and spread out both outside and in the lower levels of the building, he also had a decent telepath masking their presence. The defense he had put in place to keep the Freedom Kings' from detecting them had also blocked them from the X-men as well.

Sabretooth grunted at Davis' question. "Naw, let 'em finish. It's the last thing she's gonna feel anyway."

"Right, boss. You just want to watch," Davis teased with an uncomfortable laugh. He was looking up at Creed with a strange light in his eyes. His boss had been acting strangely since he'd started up with the Weapon X people again, doing small side missions for easy money. They had done something to him when they had started up again, but nobody in the gang knew for certain what it was, only that it made their volatile boss that much more dangerous. He was having nightmares and brooding way too much lately, not a good thing in such an unstable man.

It was true Creed had been preoccupied recently. He was happy to be here and working, but found his mind wandering when he saw Kimble with the girl. She was butt ugly, but Kimble was treating her like a precious find, a wonder to behold. Creed had never really seen anyone in love and watching Kimble now filled him with a strange sense of longing he didn't understand. He wondered what it would be like to be held and loved like that. He saw a fuzzy figure of a red haired girl in his mind, but it was lost in dreamland, another stupid memory he didn't want. The memories the Weapon X program had restored were coming back to him slowly, making him feel far more human and vulnerable than he had liked. The point of the restored memories had been to make sure he retained the maximum value of all the military training he'd absorbed over the years, all the rest of the memories were something closer to a side effect than something that had been desired.

Creed turned his eyes away from the happy couple making love, feeling stupid for wanting some small piece of that for himself. As if anyone would dare love a sick freak like him. He didn't need any of that stupid wimpy mushy crap anyway. Nope, not him.

"Why would he fuck such an ugly girl?" Peter asked, breaking into Sabretooth's wandering thoughts. Peter was the obligatory teleporter on this trip. He was the transportation, the quick in and out. Creed never traveled without one and each team in place was similarly equipped. He was also heavily armed with twin silenced pistols and a belt of grenades around one shoulder. Peter shivered at the thought of Kimble's new love, Gail was truly hideous to the quick passer by. It was her inner beauty that had drawn Kimble to her like that moth to the flame, something a mercenary like himself would never be able to understand.

"Maybe he's blind," Davis offered with another laugh.

"Prob'ly just desperate," Creed grumbled. "Soon as he's done, take 'em out."

"Look at the moves on that girl," Davis said, shaking his head. "She sure can fuck! Yee haw! Ride 'em, cowboy!"

"She may be ugly, but he's got her trained real good!" Peter crowed, making snorting noises in his throat.

Sabretooth raised his binoculars. Kimble had used his telekinetic power to flip them over and now he had Gail on top of him. It was easier for Kimble this way, actually. The less contact they had, the less shielding he required. Plus he could look up at her breasts shimmering above him, always a treat. Gail never seemed to mind, she liked the control the position gave her. Kimble's hands were on her hips, holding her and sending her vibrations of love she could feel.

Creed, of course, was aware of none of this. He simply watched them a few moments, deciding. That thing inside of him nagged at him again, making him angry. "You gotta lock, Davis?" Creed growled.

"Change your mind, boss?"

"Take her out. Make sure she falls on him. I want him pinned down."

------------------------------

Kimble cried out as he climaxed, hearing the thunder of her heart roaring inside of his head. He felt her cumming right behind him, his rush grabbing onto hers and taking her for a ride. She arched her back and he felt the inside of her convulse all around him, making him shiver again. He laughed and laughed with the joy and glory of being able to do this for her. She had been just like him, living as a ghost on the outside of everything, never quite belonging. He had broken down all of her barriers and brought her out into the light, bringing her more happiness than anyone else ever had. Her shine was so bright now, glowing and strong as she felt the rapture of just being alive in his arms at that moment.

"I love you, Kimble," she whispered boldly, making him shiver from the sound of her words. She wasn't sure how he would take so bold a statement from someone he'd only just met.

She had nothing to fear. Kimble looked up at her, his eyes shiny with tears of love he was trying to hold back. How much he had wanted to hear those words from someone who truly wanted him this way. Her statement, it was as good as her claiming the position of Mistress. Gambit's suspicions were correct, Kimble was more than willing to accept such a declaration from anyone he sensed was true. "I loves ya too, girl. Yer the sweetest thing, the most precious spark of light in this whole stupid place," he said, meaning it. Now that she had claimed him for hers, he would do anything for her, even if it meant going to boring old classes and swallowing down the pain of the hatred that was shown to him each day in pictures and movies. It had taken her a nano-second to pull his loyalty from Cameron to her, it had happened the moment she used him the way he had wanted. Her love would make all the rest bearable. "Keeps me forever."

Gail laughed at that, her shine sparkling all the brighter with happiness. She bent down to kiss him, or rub her cheek against his, the next best thing. "Of course."

He smiled as he saw her come, but then laughed suddenly when he saw a small bead of red light dancing on her forehead. He didn't know what it was, but it was pretty. If he'd paid more attention in class he wouldn't have been so calm. He raised a hand to touch it.

"What?" she asked with a laugh, right before her head exploded in blood and gore.

Kimble screamed in horror, covering his face as her blood and brains poured down on him in a torrent. Her body fell on top of his and twitched, shocked by its sudden departure from the living to the dead. Kimble shrieked hysterically and used his power to clumsily free himself from her trap. He wasted precious time untangling himself from her dead weight and wiping the gore from his face, he still couldn't quite believe that she was gone, his precious Gail. Shards of her bones cut his skin and he cried out again. He was instantly in shock, too numb to fully register what just happened.

-----------------------------

"Kimble! Oh, my God!" Jean screamed. She didn't need to be telepathic to see Kimble would be destroyed by that bullet just as surely as if it had struck him itself. She had no idea who had fired the nearly silent shot, but wasn't about to wait to find out, that she had to get to the Siskan immediately. She snatched at Scott and Bobby and they flew across to Cameron's building without a thought.

----------------------------

Kimble heard Jean's scream in a daze and looked around him, bewildered. He couldn't tell where it had come from. Was he surrounded? He was in shock and saw nothing as he whipped his head around, trying to take in everything at once. He gave up on trying to fathom what had happened and opted instead to run. He vaulted to the air, but screamed as more bullets ripped through him, forcing him back to the ground. They made no sound, they just came at him with hardly a whisper, bringing heat and pain. His wings were shredded by the oncoming spray of hot lead, the pain was enormous and he howled in agony and frustration. Whoever it was that was doing this wasn't going to allow him to leave by air so he bolted for the door to the lower level. He only got one step before he took another bullet in the knee. It spun him and he crashed to the rough tiles of the roof, screaming in confusion and agony. Were they going to kill him? He tried to crawl, dragging his ruined body behind him, leaving a trail of grey gel blood that shimmered and vanished in the night.

He hadn't gotten very far when suddenly there was a heavy thud beside him, he was no longer alone. The pilot turned, looking up behind him up into the grinning maw of Victor Creed's mouth. "Did ya miss me?" Sabretooth chuckled and snatched at him with one of his huge, clawed hands.

Kimble gasped in fear and reacted instinctively, he phased down through the roof, never seeing the bright red blast of energy that hit Creed square in the chest and sent him flying backwards. Cyclops had let fly with a good sized blast the moment Jean had set him down, not taking any chances. He knew Creed could heal quickly.

Scott and Bobby had landed neatly from Jean's arms and gave chase. Iceman went into full combat mode, icing up his body and making protective icicles stick out like barbs all over his body. The ice covering his skin could act as a shield, allowing some projectile weapons to just skid off of him without hurting him. He also had the ability to use the ambient moisture in the air to cause the ground to freeze, tripping up his prey on small slicks of ice. He did that now in the hopes of adding to Creed's faraway flight.

Creed's buddies had come across with him, courtesy of the Peter express. They opened fire but Jean was quick to shield herself and her teammates from the oncoming spray of bullets. The silenced bullets hit her barrier with odd thwicking noises, not loud enough to alert anyone below that the Kings' territory had been invaded. That was fine with Jean, she didn't want to have to fight on both fronts.

Bobby was doing his best to help out. He had slicked the roof quite nicely with a fine layer of ice, but cried out as he passed over Kimble's small slick of Gail's blood and tripped. He cursed in mid-air for falling for his own trick, but he simply hadn't realized the blood was there. He had no way of knowing that Kimble could only phase himself, not the bloody remains of the girl who had once loved him. Bobby went down hard, scraping his elbows painfully. He shrieked in horror when he found himself covered in frozen, slushy gore, but the others paid him no mind. They were in pursuit of Creed and his men, they had bailed when they saw the X-men weren't going to go down easily.

Sabretooth, meanwhile, had been tossed by Cyclops' blast and skidded quite nicely thanks to Bobby's little ice slick. He had come to an awkward stop, but rolled neatly to his feet, a smoking hole now burning in his chest. He coughed once, only once. The blast had been powerful, but the one shot hadn't been enough. He just grinned and showed Scott his teeth with a laugh. Scott was about to fire again when he saw the man blow him a kiss and then wink suddenly out of view. His crew had vanished as well.

"He's got a teleporter!" Scott shouted in frustration.

--------------------------------------------

Kimble tumbled down several floors before he finally was able to control his descent. He was still screaming, still stained with the blood of his murdered lover, though he left most of the larger chunks of her up on the roof at Creed's feet for Bobby to slip on. He came to a stop on the floor where the dorms were, a good choice since Kyle was close by.

Kyle heard his racket and came running, shocked at Kimble's condition. The Siskan was naked and stained with blood, he was shrieking hysterically and he was flailing his arms around. Kyle grabbed at him and shouted, "What happened?"

"G-Gail! They shots her! They shots her!" Kimble wailed, his voice trailing off into an incoherent rant as hysteria robbed him of his senses. "On the roof! They shots us!"

Kyle dragged Kimble to his feet, but stopped when the pilot howled with pain. It was only then that Kyle saw Kimble had been wounded, his leg had been seriously damaged, probably in an attempt to keep him from going too far. It looked bad, but Kyle knew Leon would fix it easily enough. He never saw the terrible rents in Kimble's wings, there was no time. "Fuck!"

Kyle ducked down when there was a loud explosion from above and more screams. Stealth was no longer an option as Creed's team arrived and were now doing a sweep of the floors, still seeking Kimble out in spite of being in a den of super powered mutants. Kyle wasn't about to wait to see of the building could handle the structural damage that was sure to follow. He grabbed Kimble and dragged him along, unmindful of his pain. They had to get Leon and get out of here now. He paused to grab a blanket from one of the bedrooms and wrapped Kimble up in it. Kimble was leaking gel everywhere and flopped about, not being helpful at all as he sobbed and sobbed.

Fortunately, Leon came running along himself, frightened by the noise. He had been hiding out all day, fearful of being punished for what he had done to Kimble that morning, but now came out when he realized the team was under attack. Kyle didn't hesitate, but snatched at Leon and took off out the nearest window, leaping out into the sky.

----------------------------------------

Scott blew the door to the roof and they bolted down the stairs, but judging from the noise down below, they were woefully outnumbered here. The building shook with human created mortar fire and explosive blasts. He looked up at his wife who was right behind him on the stairs. He could see she was game to join the fray, but it was much too dangerous. He paused and halted his team, reaching for his radio. They would call for reinforcements, Kurt and Warren were right there just waiting for orders if they weren't on their way over here already, alerted by all the racket. As he spoke, he received a transmission from Warren and Kurt who had been watching the building from their lower vantage point. They hadn't teleported over, they had news instead -- Kimble had left the building, Kyle had carried him out with another man and they were following him. They weren't heading to Dockside, they were going somewhere else.

The fight continues in Secrets.


End file.
